Item Description:
title
Proclaiming September 19, 2024, as Stillbirth Prevention Day - offered by Commissioner Fernando
end
WHEREAS:
body
WHEREAS, 21,000 pregnancies in the United States end in stillbirth each year; 360 in Minnesota; and
WHEREAS, racial disparities persist in birth outcomes, with Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous families at the greatest risk of losing a baby to stillbirth; and
WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the annual number of stillbirths far exceeds the number of deaths among children under 15 years of age due to sudden infant death syndrome, car accidents, drowning, guns, fire, poison, and flu combined; and
WHEREAS, in the last two decades, the stillbirth rate in the United States declined by a negligible 0.9 percent, and in a report published by the World Health Organization comparing progress in improving stillbirth rates, the United States ranked 160 out of 195 countries; and
WHEREAS, stillbirths are devastating and have a profound and devastating impact on the families who endure them; and
WHEREAS, stillbirth is linked to an increased risk of maternal mortality; and
WHEREAS, with increased awareness and better data collection we will be able to better understand why stillbirths are happening at such an alarming rate and identify what can be done to combat this crisis; and
WHEREAS, proven stillbirth prevention efforts have the power to save thousands of babies every year, and innovations in stillbirth prevention could save thousands of additional families nationwide from the heartache of losing a baby every year; and
WHEREAS, recognizing “Stillbirth Prevention Day’’ is an opportunity to increase awareness, support evidence-based prevention efforts, promote research, encourage improved data collection and greater understanding, and provide support to those who have experienced stillbirth; and
WHEREAS, ‘‘Stillbirth Prevention Day’’ calls on elected officials to use their authority to take action to help reduce stillbirths and to ensure every expectant family is educated on how to reduce the risk of losing a baby to stillbirth.
Resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners proclaims September 19, 2024 to be Stillbirth Prevention Day in Hennepin County, recognizing the tens of thousands of families that have endured a stillbirth, and helping to raise awareness in order to prevent this tragedy from impacting other families.
end
Background:
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval