Ohio House Passes Legislation to Designate Stillbirth Prevention Day

COLUMBUS—State Representative Adam Holmes (R-Nashport) today announced that the Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 4, legislation to designate September 19th as Stillbirth Prevention Day in Ohio.

The bill aims to educate Ohioans on the issue of stillbirth in Ohio and better target healthcare resources to expecting mothers.

“We hope that raising awareness of stillbirth issues in Ohio saves lives of mothers and babies, accelerates improved birthing practices, and unifies all of us—men and women, urban and rural—into continued cooperative support in the pursuit of healthier lives for all Ohioans,” said Holmes.

According to the Center for Disease Control, in the United States, 1 in 175 births are affected by stillbirth each year, amounting to approximately 21,000 stillbirths annually. In 2021, 760 babies were lost to stillbirth in Ohio, surpassing the national average.

House Bill 4 awaits consideration by the Ohio Senate.