Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Stillbirth Awareness and Research Act of 2013”.
Stillbirth Awareness and Research Act of 2013
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the national collection of data on stillbirths in a standardized manner, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 National stillbirth registry
Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 243 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 317T the following:
“317U. National stillbirth registry
“(a) Establishment—For the purposes described in subsection (b), the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall, by grant or contract, establish and maintain a scientific registry of stillbirths in the United States (in this section referred to as the registry).
“(b) Purposes—The purposes of the registry are—
“(1) to provide a national repository for reporting and maintaining in a consistent manner data on stillbirths; and
“(2) to make such data available for research on the causes and prevention of stillbirths.
“(c) Content—The registry shall include, with respect to each stillbirth, information on the stillborn fetus and the mother’s health and pregnancy as collected and submitted by States on the U.S. Standard Report of Fetal Death. In submitting such information, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shall require States to use the standard definition of stillbirth and the standard protocol for stillbirth data collection and surveillance as determined pursuant to subsection (d).
“(d) Determination of standard stillbirth definition and protocol
“(1) In general—For purposes of this section, the Secretary shall provide for the development of the following:
“(A) A standard definition of stillbirth.
“(B) A standard protocol for stillbirth data collection and surveillance.
“(2) Consultation—The Secretary shall ensure that the standard definition and protocol described in paragraph (1) are developed under such paragraph in a manner that ensures the consultation of representatives of health care organizations, State and local governments, and other interested entities specified by the Secretary.”
Sec. 3 Sense of Congress on NIH funding for stillbirth research
It is the sense of the Congress that the Director of the National Institutes of Health should increase the allocation of funds and other resources for stillbirth research.
Sec. 4 National public awareness campaign
In general— The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall carry out a national campaign to increase public awareness and knowledge of stillbirths and public and State awareness of the standard stillbirth definition and standard protocol for stillbirth data collection and surveillance under section 317U of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 2.
Measures To reduce the incidence of stillbirths— Activities under the national campaign under subsection (a) shall include—
the dissemination of information on measures for mothers to maintain a healthy pregnancy and assess fetal health;
the dissemination of information on good prenatal care practices such as not drinking alcohol or smoking; and
the promotion of the use of proactive steps to monitor (or ascertain) a baby’s well-being, including the monitoring of fetal movement beginning at approximately 28 weeks into the pregnancy.
Sec. 5 Authorization of appropriations
In general— To carry out this Act and the amendment made by this Act, there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018.
Corresponding reduction— The aggregate amount authorized to be appropriated by other provisions of law to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for business services support is reduced by $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018.