US lags behind Australia in stillbirth rate reduction

The United States faces a persistent stillbirth crisis that leaves thousands of families grieving each year, while lagging severely behind international peers in driving down mortality rates. According to Propublica reporting, international data indicates the U.S. Performed worse than 151 countries in reducing its stillbirth rate over a two-decade span, cutting it by a mere fraction compared to countries like Australia, which more than doubled that pace of reduction.

Every year in the United States, more than 20,000 pregnancies end in stillbirth, translating to roughly 60 babies lost daily. In contrast, Australia experiences approximately six stillbirths a day, totaling around 2,200 annually, according to figures cited by Campaign Brief. Despite a similar starting point decades ago, Australia transformed its approach through coordinated federal action, a dedicated research center, and public health directives.

Media additions

Metric / Measure	United States	Australia
Daily Stillbirths	Roughly 60 babies	6 babies
Annual Stillbirths	More than 20,000 pregnancies	Around 2,200 babies
National Stillbirth Plan	None	Adopted nationwide
Rate of Reduction (2000–2021)	0.9%	More than double the U.S. Rate

The stark policy divergence between the two nations stems largely from political mobilization and advocacy. In Australia, the movement gained profound momentum through figures like Kristina Keneally, a former senator and state premier who experienced the stillbirth of her daughter, Caroline. Following a tearful first speech in parliament declaring stillbirth a national public health crisis, Keneally helped spearhead a Senate inquiry. This political will culminated in a national stillbirth plan, bipartisan backing, and tens of millions in government investment covering research, bereavement care, and public education.

Central to Australia’s clinical strategy is the Safer Baby Bundle, rolled out by the Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence. The initiative focuses on five evidence-based clinical priorities designed to protect pregnancies past a certain gestational threshold. These measures include supporting smoking cessation, regular monitoring for fetal growth restriction, educating parents on tracking fetal movements, advising side-sleeping positions after 28 weeks, and optimizing the timing of delivery.

Public awareness has run parallel to clinical reforms. The federal government funded the Still Six Lives campaign, delivered by a consortium including Red Nose, the Stillbirth Foundation, and the Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence. Aimed at dismantling social stigma and educating communities, the campaign utilizes emotive imagery, public relations, and real-life family stories to ensure expectant parents recognize warning signs early.

Personal accounts underscore the deadly cost of the previous culture of silence. As reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, first-time mother Bree Amer Wilkes experienced reduced fetal movement and growth restriction, yet her concerns were initially dismissed by her medical provider. An autopsy later revealed that a blood-clotting issue stopped her baby's placenta from functioning properly — a complication that might have been managed with timely intervention. Red Nose co-chief executive Jackie Mead emphasized that breaking down silence empowers mothers to trust their intuition and seek second opinions when instincts signal danger.

While Australia continues refining its framework — including adapting the Safer Baby Bundle for First Nations, migrant, and refugee communities, the U.S. System remains decentralized and underfunded. American experts note that systemic failures, including low autopsy rates and unaddressed racial disparities, continue to hamper progress. Black women in America, for instance, face a risk of stillbirth more than twice that of white women, mirroring disparities seen among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia.

Hope persists on the American horizon as pressure mounts on federal lawmakers. Two stillbirth-prevention bills have moved through congressional channels, and institutions like the National Institutes of Health have begun issuing renewed recommendations. Epidemiologists and clinical leaders in Utah are actively working to establish dedicated research centers modeled after international successes.

What to Watch Next

• Federal progression of pending stillbirth-prevention legislation in the U.S. Congress, including the Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education for Autumn Act.
• The rollout of standardized hospital data collection across Australian states to measure the nationwide impact of the Safer Baby Bundle.
• Efforts by American researchers to launch specialized stillbirth prevention and research centers in partnership with international leaders.