Stillbirth Remains A Silent Crisis But A New Campaign Aims To Change That

Each year in the United States, nearly 23,000 babies are stillborn — a figure that has remained largely unchanged for two decades, but a new campaign aims to change that.

While research indicates many stillbirths are preventable, the issue remains largely absent from mainstream maternal health discussions. As Maternal Health Month brings renewed attention to maternal care, advocates Liz ODonnell and Marjorie Vail of PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy are determined to shift the conversation and save lives.

The organizations Treat Stillness as Illness campaign aims to educate parents and healthcare providers about the importance of recognizing signs of potential stillbirth and taking early action. By empowering families with knowledge and promoting proactive care, PUSH hopes to address the longstanding gaps that contribute to preventable loss — especially among communities of color.

Beyond the immediate need for action, both ODonnell and Vail are calling for pregnancy education to be rewritten. Their campaign encourages providers to help parents recognize reduced fetal movement as a critical sign and urges expectant families to act quickly when concerned.

Mental distress during pregnancy has also been flagged as a risk factor for adverse outcomes, underscoring the need for a holistic approach to maternal health.

The disparities are especially stark for Black mothers, who are twice as likely to experience stillbirth. For Marjorie Vail, Director of Outreach at PUSH and a trauma therapist based in New York City, this statistic is deeply personal. After losing her son Aleksei at 37 weeks, Vail turned her grief into action, becoming a national advocate for maternal health equity.

Vail has since used her platform to raise awareness about the unique risks Black families face during pregnancy and birth, pushing for better education, support, and accountability across the healthcare system.

Liz ODonnell, Director of Education at PUSH and founder of the nonprofit aaliyah in action, brings her own experience to the cause. In 2020, after losing her daughter Aaliyah and being sent home from the hospital without adequate support, ODonnell became a vocal advocate for bereavement care and policy reform. Her nonprofit provides care packages to families after stillbirth and has partnered with 73 hospitals across the country. ODonnells advocacy was instrumental in helping pass an emergency bereavement bill and changing Washington D.C.s paid family leave law to include stillbirth.

Through their advocacy, ODonnell and Vail hope to ensure that stillbirth is no longer hidden in plain sight. Their message is clear: expectant families deserve better, and treating stillbirth as a preventable issue is an essential step toward meaningful change.