I would like to utilize this blog post to share the impacts of COVID-19 on pregnancy outcomes and specifically its effects on stillbirth. As I continue working with Saul’s Light’s executive director and founder Kimberly Novod to get a bill passed in Louisiana providing a tax credit to families who experience stillbirth, the COVID-19 pandemic creates a greater sense of urgency. According to the CDC, a study looking at the impacts of COVID-19 on pregnant people “‘likely underestimates the percentage of pregnancy losses that occur among women with COVID-19.’ Five of the pregnancy losses occurred after 20 weeks into the pregnancy.” As we have seen, COVID is disproportionately affecting black and latino communities and there already exists a disparity in stillbirth among black and latino pregnancy loss. As a summation of both disparities, we are seeing a greater rise in stillbirth rates among black and latino babies. Recently in my internship, I have been creating infographics and other letters to send to congress to display the sense of urgency in passing this bill. If the stillbirth tax credit bill has to sit on the congress floor waiting for the next session, families who are already going through an incredibly hard process, will face even more hardship.
Additionally, September is Officially NICU Awareness month in New Orleans! Follow @sauls_light on instagram and facebook to stay in touch with the exciting events being put on by Saul’s Light. Stay tuned for October which is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Month. We are hoping to utilize these months to further educate people on the importance of the stillbirth tax credit bill.
Article Referenced in post
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-preterm-birth-miscarriage-stillbirth/