• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Health / Medicine / Governor signs bill to collect info on stillborn babies

Governor signs bill to collect info on stillborn babies

April 2, 2004 By admin

State officials will now gather medical data on stillborn Iowa babies and their mothers as a result of a bill Governor Tom Vilsack signed into law this afternoon. Vilsack says the bill’s a tribute to families who’re coping with the tragedy of a stillborn baby. State Representative Janet Peterson of Des Moines delivered a stillborn baby girl last summer, and was the driving force behind the new law. Peterson says her grandmother’s fourth child was stillborn, and Peterson says she “remembers laying in the hospital after we lost Grace and thinking ‘I can’t believe this is still happening to women.'” Peterson says 26-thousand American families lose a stillborn baby every year. Peterson says about two-hundred babies are stillborn every year in Iowa — a rate that’s five times greater than the number of babies who die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Iowa becomes the second state in the nation to collect data on stillbirths. The state birth defects institute at the University of Iowa is redesigned as a result of the legislation and Vilsack says it will now explore congenital and inherited disorders. Vilsack says it will hopefully help researchers learn more about stillbirths and prevent these tragedies from occurring in the future. Vilsack was surrounded by legislators and women who’ve delivered stillborn babies when he signed the bill into law and Peterson was emotional as she addressed the group. Peterson thanked the women “for having the courage to turn their tragedy into something positive for other families and women across the country.” Peterson says Senator Tom Harkin’s trying to round up about 25-thousand dollars in federal funds to finance the research its first year.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Health / Medicine, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Tom Vilsack

Featured Stories

Bill would limit placement of solar arrays on farm ground

Marquette casino moving to land, leaving only 2 casino boats in Iowa

Reynolds signs her ‘school choice’ bill into law

Governor Reynolds touts 2024 Iowa Caucuses in Inaugural Address

University of Iowa grad presiding over U.S. House Speaker vote

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

No coaching changes coming for Iowa football

Iowa State names new receivers coach

No. 2 Iowa visits No. 1 Penn State in wrestling dual Friday night

Iowa’s Clark brings increased exposure to women’s basketball

No. 18 Iowa State women visit TCU

More Sports

Archives

Copyright © 2023 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC