Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

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Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day
Also calledPregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day
Observed by United States, Canada, Australia
TypeInternational, secular and religious
SignificanceRaises awareness of the prevalence of pregnancy loss and infant death
ObservancesInternational Wave of Light; candle lighting; remembrance services and walks
Date October 15
Frequencyannually
Related toPregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month (N. America), Baby Loss Awareness Week (UK), World Prematurity Day, Early Miscarriage Awareness Day

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is an annual day of remembrance observed on October 15 for pregnancy loss and infant death, which includes miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, ectopic pregnancy, termination for medical reasons, [1] and the death of a newborn. [2] [3] Pregnancy and infant loss is a common experience that has historically been complicated by broadly applied social and cultural taboos to stay silent, a condition that the World Health Organization advocates reversing in favor of open expression. [4] A growing number of public figures have come out in support of open expression, with many leading by example through the disclosure of their personal experiences of pregnancy loss and infant death. [5] [6] [7]

Contents

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is observed in locations including Canada, [2] United States, [8] Australia, [3] Ireland, [9] and the United Kingdom. [10] Recognition of the holiday has grown since the early 2000s. The day of remembrance includes candle-lighting vigils and a Wave of Light, a worldwide lighting of buildings and monuments. [9]

Overview

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day serves to promote greater awareness and support for the estimated 1 in 4 individuals and families whose lives are irrevocably altered by the death of their children during pregnancy, at birth, and in infancy. Experiences of loss vary for each individual and family unit; common effects include depression, anxiety, changes in relationships, development of unhealthy coping mechanisms, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). [11] These effects are often underestimated, misunderstood, or overlooked by health care professionals, friends, and family members, especially when concerning pregnancy loss related bereavement and subsequent grief. [12] [13]

Advocates believe that formalized day of observation increases public awareness and promotes greater research and understanding to aide in the creation and establishment of programs, resources and services to support and provide assistance to survivors of baby loss and their families, enabling them to overcome their trauma and integrate their bereavement into their life in a healthy manner. [14]

In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that there were 4.1 million deaths of infants that were less than one year old. [15] WHO estimated an annual occurrence of 2.6 million stillbirths [16] and between 17 and 22 percent of pregnancies that result in miscarriage. [17] A growing number of public figures have disclosed their personal experiences of pregnancy loss and infant death including Nicole Kidman, Whitney Huston, Gweneth Paltrow, Ali Wong, Michelle Obama, Chrissy Tiegan, John Legend, Meghan Duchess of Sussex and Mark Zuckerberg. [5] [6] [7] [18]

Individual citizens have worked with their representatives to introduce legislation at the municipal, state, provincial and national levels of government in an effort to have October 15 recognized as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. As of March 2021, the day has been formally recognized in the United States, Canada, and Australia while the United Kingdom observes October 15 as part of their Baby Loss Awareness Week.

International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is observed in several localities but is not universally recognized. Individuals, families, and organizations from around the world continue to promote greater public awareness of the prevalence of baby loss and the intense grief that often accompanies the experience. [11] [12] The number of locations that officially observe October 15 as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day has grown since the early 2000s.

The official awareness colors of the cause are pink and blue [3] [9] [10] and are used for the campaign's awareness ribbon.

Wave of Light

Founded in 2003, the Wave of Light invites baby loss families, friends, loved ones and supporting organizations from around the world to join in honor and remembrance on October 15 at 7:00 pm in all time zones. [10] [19] Beginning in the first time zone, illuminations and candles remain lit for a period of at least one hour, with the next time zone lighting in its turn, moving westward as the Wave of Light circumnavigates the globe. Buildings, landmarks, monuments, and venues are illuminated [9] while individuals, families, friends, and supporting organizations participate in lighting candles in remembrance. [10]

Efforts towards official recognition of day

United States

The United States Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 314, designated the month of October 1988 as "Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this month which Ronald Reagan then formalized on October 25, 1988. [20] [21]

In 2001, Robyn Bear, Lisa Brown, and Tammy Novak initiated a campaign and petitioned the federal government and state governors of the United States to make October 15 an official holiday titled Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. [22] [23] [ additional citation(s) needed ] Concurrent Resolution 222, which supported the goals and ideals of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives on September 28, 2006. [8]

United Kingdom

According to the registered charity the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (Sands), the first Baby Loss Awareness Day was held in the United Kingdom on October 15, 2002 after a group of parents were inspired by the Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day in the United States. [19] Baby Loss Awareness Week has been in observance in the UK from October 9–15, since 2003, [10] [24] [25] when the event was expanded into a week, the same year the first official Wave of Light was observed in the UK. [19]

In 2016, Labor MP Vicky Foxcroft offered personal testimony in support of the week of remembrance. [25]

Canada

A campaign ribbon used to promote the recognition of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day TLCPAiL official Logo.jpg
A campaign ribbon used to promote the recognition of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

In 2005, New Brunswick was the first Canadian province to observe Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, an action granted by the New Brunswick Department of Health and Wellness on October 12, 2005. [14] [ better source needed ] New Brunswick Minister of Health and Wellness Elvy Robichaud called on provincial residents to provide "support, education, and awareness for grieving parents who have lost children during pregnancy or shortly after birth" due to miscarriage and infant death being "a source of grief, often silent, for mothers, fathers, siblings, and grandparents." [27]

In 2008, Manitoba recognized the holiday through Bill 226. [28] In 2015, Ontario enacted Bill 141 which designated October 15 as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day, with support for further research and program development. [29] In 2017, Nova Scotia began to observe the holiday on October 15, as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day, via Bill 38. [30]

As of 2018, the holiday was nationally recognized in Canada. [31]

Australia

In May 2008, Nicole Ballinger of New South Wales (NSW) contacted her Members of Parliament (MPs) to request help in creating an official Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. [32] Ballinger worked with MPs Joanna Gash and Shelley Hancock from 2008 to 2011 to get an official remembrance day declared. [33] On 15 October 2011, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day was officially declared in NSW.

John and Kate De'Laney campaigned for recognition of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day in Western Australia (WA). After Kate De'Laney wrote a letter to Premier Colin Barnett to bring Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day to greater attention, the WA State Government passed a bipartisan agreement to officially recognize the holiday on October 15, 2014. [34]

The De'Laney's worked with Senator Kristina Keneally to make October 15 nationally recognised by the Australian Parliament. Senators Keneally, Bilyk, McCarthy, and Polley, moved a motion in the upper house Australian Government to make Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day an official Australian holiday and on February 17, 2021, the motion, put to the members of the lower house, passed unopposed. [35]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">October</span> Tenth month in the Julian and Gregorian calendars

October is the tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. The eighth month in the old calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC, October retained its name after January and February were inserted into the calendar that had originally been created by the Romans. In Ancient Rome, one of three Mundus patet would take place on October 5, Meditrinalia October 11, Augustalia on October 12, October Horse on October 15, and Armilustrium on October 19. These dates do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar. Among the Anglo-Saxons, it was known as Winterfylleth (Ƿinterfylleþ), because at this full moon, winter was supposed to begin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Childbirth</span> Expulsion of a fetus from the pregnant mothers uterus

Childbirth, also known as labour, parturition and delivery, is the completion of pregnancy where one or more babies exits the internal environment of the mother via vaginal delivery or caesarean section. In 2019, there were about 140.11 million human births globally. In the developed countries, most deliveries occur in hospitals, while in the developing countries most are home births.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miscarriage</span> Natural death and expulsion of an embryo or fetus before its independent survival

Miscarriage, also known in medical terms as a spontaneous abortion, is the death and expulsion of an embryo or fetus before it can survive independently. The term miscarriage is sometimes used to refer to all forms of pregnancy loss and pregnancy with abortive outcomes before 20 weeks of gestation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Live birth (human)</span> Event that a fetus is born alive with heartbeats or respiration

In human reproduction, a live birth occurs when a fetus exits the mother showing any definite sign of life such as voluntary movement, heartbeat, or pulsation of the umbilical cord, for however brief a time and regardless of whether the umbilical cord or placenta are intact. After the fetus is expelled from the maternal body it is called a neonate. Whether the birth is vaginal or by caesarean section, and whether the neonate is ultimately viable, is irrelevant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stillbirth</span> Death of a fetus before or during delivery, resulting in delivery of a dead baby

Stillbirth is typically defined as fetal death at or after 20 or 28 weeks of pregnancy, depending on the source. It results in a baby born without signs of life. A stillbirth can often result in the feeling of guilt or grief in the mother. The term is in contrast to miscarriage, which is an early pregnancy loss, and sudden infant death syndrome, where the baby dies a short time after being born alive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public holidays in Canada</span> List of government-legislated holidays

Public holidays in Canada, known as statutory holidays, stat holidays, or simply stats, consist of a variety of cultural, nationalistic, and religious holidays that are legislated in Canada at the federal or provincial and territorial levels. While many of these holidays are honoured and acknowledged nationwide, provincial and territorial legislation varies in regard to which are officially recognized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pregnancy</span> Time of offspring development in mothers body

Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops (gestates) inside a woman's uterus (womb). A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins.

Dilation and evacuation (D&E) is the dilation of the cervix and surgical evacuation of the uterus after the first trimester of pregnancy. It is a method of abortion as well as a common procedure used after miscarriage to remove all pregnancy tissue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pink and blue ribbon</span> Pink and blue ribbon for prenatal and infant loss

The pink and blue ribbon is a symbol promoting awareness of:

Prenatal development includes the development of the embryo and of the fetus during a viviparous animal's gestation. Prenatal development starts with fertilization, in the germinal stage of embryonic development, and continues in fetal development until birth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Complications of pregnancy</span> Medical condition

Complications of pregnancy are health problems that are related to, or arise during pregnancy. Complications that occur primarily during childbirth are termed obstetric labor complications, and problems that occur primarily after childbirth are termed puerperal disorders. While some complications improve or are fully resolved after pregnancy, some may lead to lasting effects, morbidity, or in the most severe cases, maternal or fetal mortality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nutrition and pregnancy</span> Nutrient intake and dietary planning undertaken before, during and after pregnancy

Nutrition and pregnancy refers to the nutrient intake, and dietary planning that is undertaken before, during and after pregnancy. Nutrition of the fetus begins at conception. For this reason, the nutrition of the mother is important from before conception as well as throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. An ever-increasing number of studies have shown that the nutrition of the mother will have an effect on the child, up to and including the risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes throughout life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perinatal mortality</span> Medical condition

Perinatal mortality (PNM) is the death of a fetus or neonate and is the basis to calculate the perinatal mortality rate. Perinatal means "relating to the period starting a few weeks before birth and including the birth and a few weeks after birth."

A memory box is a box containing objects that serve as reminders.

Pregnancy rate is the success rate for getting pregnant. It is the percentage of all attempts that leads to pregnancy, with attempts generally referring to menstrual cycles where insemination or any artificial equivalent is used, which may be simple artificial insemination (AI) or AI with additional in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Toxic abortion is a medical phenomenon of spontaneous abortion, miscarriage, or stillbirth caused by toxins in the environment of the mother during pregnancy, especially as caused by toxic environmental pollutants, though sometimes reported as caused by naturally occurring plant toxins

The Mariposa Trust is a charity in the United Kingdom founded by Zoë Clark-Coates, to support people who have suffered baby loss, in pregnancy, at birth or in infancy. It holds public Services of Remembrance, of any or no religious faith, across the UK to acknowledge the loss of a baby by their families, and by arranging specialist support divisions to help people with their associated grief and trauma. It is one of the organizations that supports baby loss awareness week.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS) is a U.S. based charitable organization operating worldwide, that offers free professionally taken photographs of stillborn babies and babies who die early in life.

A rainbow baby is a term for a child born to a family that has previously lost one or more children due to stillbirth, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, termination for medical reasons, or death during infancy. These subsequent pregnancies can bring "strong feelings of anxiety, guilt, and even fear" but also "immense joy, reflection, healing, and mixed emotions". The term "rainbow" is symbolic of the hope brought by the child after the emotional storm of the previous loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 in pregnancy</span> Overview about the effects of COVID-19 infection on pregnancy

COVID-19 infection in pregnancy is associated with several pregnancy complications. However, pregnancy does not appear to increase the susceptibility of becoming infected by COVID-19. Recommendations for the prevention of COVID-19 include the same measures as non-pregnant people.

References

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  5. 1 2 Bologna, Caroline (2017-10-19). "50 Celebrities Who Opened Up About Their Miscarriages". HuffPost. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
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  8. 1 2 "H. CON. RES. 222 Supporting the goals and ideals of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day". Congress of the United States. 2006-09-28. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "'Wave of Light' event for Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day this Thursday". Limerick Post Newspaper. 2020-10-14. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
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  13. ↑ Watson, Jo; Simmonds, Anne; La Fontaine, Michelle; Fockler, Megan E. (2019-04-16). "Pregnancy and infant loss: a survey of families' experiences in Ontario Canada". BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 19 (1): 129. doi: 10.1186/s12884-019-2270-2 . ISSN   1471-2393. PMC   6469137 . PMID   30991981.
  14. 1 2 Robinson, Michael; Coggan, Terra-Lynn (2018-11-13). Poirier, Jack (ed.). "Our sun failed to shine". Telegraph-Journal. New Brunswick Publishing Co. Archived from the original on 2018-11-15. Retrieved 2018-11-15.
  15. ↑ "Infant mortality". World Health Organization. Archived from the original on March 24, 2014. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  16. ↑ "Stillbirths". World Health Organization. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  17. ↑ García-Enguídanos A, Calle ME, Valero J, Luna S, Domínguez-Rojas V (May 2002). "Risk factors in miscarriage: a review". European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology. 102 (2): 111–9. doi:10.1016/s0301-2115(01)00613-3. PMID   11950476.
  18. ↑ "20 celebrities who have opened up about going through miscarriage". The Independent. 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  19. 1 2 3 "Baby Loss Awareness Week - how it all started". babyloss-awareness.org. Retrieved 2021-03-15– via Sands. October 15, 2002 was the inaugural Baby Loss Awareness Day in the UK and was initiated by a group of parents inspired by Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day in the United States.
  20. ↑ Regan, R (October 25, 1988). "Proclamation 5890 -- Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, 1988". Reagan Presidential Library. Retrieved 2021-04-15.
  21. ↑ Sewing, Joy (2020-10-21). "More than 10 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage. So why don't we talk about it more?". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
  22. ↑ "House Resolution 47 "A resolution designating October 15, 2001, as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day."". www.legis.iowa.gov. May 2001. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
  23. ↑ "BH HR 0047: ...designating October 15, 2001, as Pregnancy and Infant L..." www.legis.iowa.gov. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
  24. ↑ "Baby Loss Awareness Week: Let's talk about the heartbreak". The Irish News. 2020-10-06. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
  25. 1 2 Waterson, Jim (October 13, 2016). "This MP Gave A Powerful Speech On Losing Her Baby Daughter". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
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  27. ↑ Robichaud, Elvy. Declaration by Hon. Elvy Robichaud, Minister, Health and Wellness: New Brunswick Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. October 2005. New Brunswick Department of Health and Wellness.
  28. ↑ "Bill 226 – The Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day Act" (PDF). The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Manitoba. 2008. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  29. ↑ Colle, Mike (2018-11-15). "Bill 141 Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness, Research and Care Act, 2015" (PDF). Ontario, Canada: Legislative Assembly of Ontario (published 2015-12-10). Retrieved 2018-11-15.
  30. ↑ "Bill 38 Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Act". 1st Session, 63rd General Assembly Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia, Canada: Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly (published 2017-10-11). 2017-11-27. Retrieved 2018-11-15.
  31. ↑ "MP pays tribute to baby daughter on pregnancy and infant loss remembrance day". National Post. The Canadian Press. October 15, 2018. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
  32. ↑ "A day to remember young lives that were cut short". South Coast Register. 2009-10-29. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
  33. ↑ "Pregnancy and Infant Loss House debates". OpenAustralia.org. February 22, 2010. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
  34. ↑ Wearne, Phoebe (October 15, 2014). "Remembrance day for lost babies". The West Australian. Yahoo News.
  35. ↑ "Parliamentary Business: Hansard Display". Parliament of Australia. February 17, 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
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