WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced the launch of a nationwide Stillbirth Research Consortium, a $37 million initiative designed to reduce the number of preventable stillbirths in the United States. The effort comes as more than 60% of the nearly 24,000 stillbirths reported annually remain unexplained.
Stillbirth occurs in about 1 in 160 deliveries nationwide, with approximately 23,600 cases each year at 20 weeks or later in pregnancy. Despite medical advances, many cases remain unresolved even after ruling out congenital abnormalities, genetic disorders, and obstetric complications.
“This consortium will provide an integrated, collaborative program to support cutting-edge research to identify the root causes of stillbirth and inform evidence-based strategies to address stillbirth risks,” said Alison Cernich, Ph.D., acting director of NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. “Too many families needlessly face the grief of stillbirth.”
Research shows that people who have experienced a stillbirth are nearly five times more likely to face another pregnancy complication, and stillbirth rates remain significantly higher among Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native populations. About 40% of stillbirths that occur during labor and delivery are considered potentially preventable.
The consortium will be anchored by four research centers and a data coordinating center:
- Data Coordinating Center (RTI International, North Carolina): Oversees data collection, rigor, and collaboration across all centers, led by Drs. Elizabeth McClure and Carla Bann.
- University of California San Diego Center for Stillbirth Prevention: Investigates placental dysfunction and fetal growth restriction, led by Drs. Mana Parast and Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman.
- Columbia University’s CARES Research Center (New York City): Uses electronic health records and AI to identify stillbirth risk and develop biomarkers, led by Drs. Uma Reddy and Xiao Xu.
- University of Utah Stillbirth Research Center: Focuses on education, mental health, and risk management for decreased fetal movement, led by Dr. Robert Silver.
- Oregon Health & Science University’s NOURISH Center (Portland): Studies the impact of nutrition, chronic stress, and cardiometabolic health on stillbirth, led by Drs. Karen Gibbins and Leslie Myatt.
The consortium will be funded by NIH over five years, with additional co-funding of $750,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
For more information about stillbirth research, visit NICHD’s website.
