University of Utah Health announces first-ever Stillbirth Center of Excellence in the United States
Oct. 16, 2024
University of Utah Health is proud to announce the official designation of the nation’s first Stillbirth Center of Excellence, an initiative dedicated to reducing the burden of stillbirth in the United States.
At the Stillbirth Center of Excellence at U of U Health, the focus is squarely on advancing research, improving clinical care, supporting affected families, and reshaping public understanding of stillbirth.
These goals include:
- Cutting the U.S. stillbirth rate in half.
- Reducing racial disparities in U.S. stillbirth rates by 50%.
- Doubling the proportion of affected U.S. families receiving comprehensive bereavement support.
- Ensuring at least 75% of U.S. stillbirths undergo comprehensive perinatal audits and evaluations to determine potential causes.
- Bringing stillbirth out of the shadows by changing cultural norms and increasing public awareness.
- Positioning the U.S. as a global leader in stillbirth prevention, care, and research, impacting both low- and high-income settings worldwide.
Priorities of the Stillbirth Center of Excellence
To achieve these goals, the center focuses on five key priorities:
- Research: Leading cutting-edge studies to better understand the causes of stillbirth and develop evidence-based prevention strategies, including whole genome sequencing and investigating causes of decreased fetal movement.
- Clinical Care: Improving standards of care for families experiencing stillbirth, from prevention to diagnosis to treatment through the Utah Pregnancy After Loss (U-PAL) Program.
- Education: Training healthcare providers and educating the public on stillbirth risks, prevention, and care.
- Bereavement Support for Families: Doubling efforts to ensure that families affected by stillbirth receive compassionate, effective support in their time of loss, including peer-to-peer family support and mental health resources.
- Justice: Addressing the social, racial, and economic disparities in stillbirth rates, ensuring that every family has equitable access to high-quality care and support.
