Each year more than 30,000 babies are stillborn in the United States alone. One in every 200 pregnancies ends in stillbirth. Worldwide there are over 4 million stillbirths each year.

Stillbirth is the death of an infant in-utero at 20 or more completed gestational weeks. Almost 50...

Each year more than 30,000 babies are stillborn in the United States alone. One in every 200 pregnancies ends in stillbirth. Worldwide there are over 4 million stillbirths each year.

Stillbirth is the death of an infant in-utero at 20 or more completed gestational weeks. Almost 50 percent of these deaths occur at or near full term (35-40 weeks) and often seem to be otherwise healthy babies. The majority of stillbirths (85%) occur shortly before delivery with 15% occurring during labor and delivery. It is estimated that nearly two-thirds of all stillbirth deaths remain unexplained. Researchers feel that this is more likely due to a failure to investigate the deaths, rather than a medical mystery. Stillbirth deaths cut across all socio-economic classes, races, religions and maternal age groups. No woman is immune.

Sadly, very little research has been done to identify the causes for the 'unexplained' stillbirths. However, one obstetrician in private practice in New Roads, LA, Jason Collins, MD has made ending stillbirth his passion. He has participated in the care of over 1000 women who have had a prior stillbirth and has some startling findings including the conclusion that most of these unexplained stillbirths are related to umbilical cord and placental issues. He has developed a prenatal protocol that includes a 28 week diagnostic ultrasound scan to identify high risk cord and placental factors known to result in stillbirth. Those patients identified at high risk are then monitored at home with a home fetal monitor (hospital grade, FDA approved - not the doppler monitor) - which immediately transmits fetal monitor strips to Dr. Collins when it alarms.

The Star Legacy Foundation for Stilbirth Research and Education (www.starlegacyfoundation.org) is committed to supporting research and education that will put an end to these needless tragedies. The Foundation was started by the family of Garrett Jamison Wimmer, (stillborn at 37 weeks due to an umbilical cord accident in 2004) with the dream that no family ever again endure the pain of losing a perfectly healthy baby in the final days before its' birth.

We need your help to get the word out that there are proactive things that parents can do in the third trimester including counting fetal movement as well as asking their obstetrician for 28 week ultrasound scans to identify high risk cord/placental issues. We also need obstetricians to change their prenatal protocol to include this diagnostic scan.

Thousands of stillbirth parents and grandparents would rejoice to have you do a segment on this topic. Dr. Collins would eagerly join your show for this segment as would many, many stillbirth parents and grandparents.

We would eagerly provide any additional information you would request. Contact information and information about Dr. Collins' work can be found at www.preginst.com

To understand the pain of just one family’s experience in the loss of a dearly wanted child go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWnoCH6QGqw

Thank you for your kind consideration of helping us get the word out and save thousands of babies.

Warmest Regards,
Lindsey Wimmer, CPNP (***-***-****) lindsey@starlegacyfoundation.org
Shauna Libsack (***-***-*****) shauna@starlegacyfoundation.org
Star Legacy Foundation for Stillbirth Research & Education

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