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Make change by telling your story in person.

Let decision makers know why stillbirth prevention is important to you. Encourage them to support this important work.

We’ve created sample wording you can use in your request for a meeting with decision makers. It’s also important to share your personal story about why stillbirth prevention matters to you. Feel free to use the template wording below, and then find contact information for your Representatives and Senators. Many members of Congress have web contact forms where you can place your request and contact information as a quick and easy way to ask for a meeting with them or a member of their staff.

Sample Meeting Request

Dear {Insert Name},

Every year 44,600 expectant parents lose their baby to stillbirth, according to the CDC. The annual number of stillbirths far exceeds the number of deaths among children aged 0-14 years from preterm birth, SIDS, accidents, drownings, guns, fire, and flu combined. Racial disparities persist, with 1 out of every 97 Black pregnancies ending in stillbirth. Native Hawaiian, Other Pacific Islanders and American Indian or Alaska Native pregnancies are also at greater risk of experiencing a stillbirth.

Stillbirth is defined as the loss of a baby between 20 and 40+ weeks of pregnancy. The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act is a critical piece of legislation that would add stillbirth and stillbirth prevention to Title V of the Social Security Act — something that has been lacking since the introduction of Title V funding back in 1935. 

The legislation recognizes that stillbirth (defined as the loss of a baby at 20 weeks or greater during pregnancy), and the disparity in those impacted by stillbirth, requires further research, support, and prevention programming. It also calls for evidence-based programs and activities and outcome research to reduce the incidence of stillbirth including tracking and awareness of fetal movements, improvement of birth timing for pregnant people with risk factors, initiatives that encourage safe sleeping positions for pregnant people, screening and surveillance for fetal growth restriction, efforts to achieve smoking cessation amongst pregnant people, community-based programs that provide home visits or other types of support, and any other research or evidence-based programming to prevent stillbirths.

Many stillbirths can be prevented! As a constituent, I respectfully ask you to please support this important bill.

This is important to me because … {Insert Your Story Here}

We respectfully ask for a meeting with you or a member of your health staff in the coming weeks to share more about the Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act. We would like to discuss how this how this bipartisan bill would support evidence-based programs and activities and outcome research to reduce the incidence of stillbirth. 

 

With Gratitude,

{Insert Your Name Here}

 

We’d be happy to attend with you and can help you prepare. Please reach out to us at [email protected] in advance of your meeting request!

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