Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day
Encyclopedia
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is a day of remembrance for pregnancy loss and infant death which includes but is not limited to miscarriage
, stillbirth
, SIDS
, or the death of a newborn. It is observed annually in the United States and Canada and, in recent years, in the United Kingdom, on October 15.
The day is observed with remembrance ceremonies and candle-lighting vigils, concluding with the International Wave of Light, a worldwide lighting of candles at 7:00 p.m.
The October 15th Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day (PAILRD) Campaign began in 2002 as an American movement started by Robyn Bear, Lisa Brown, and Tammy Novak. Together, they petitioned the federal government, as well as the governors of each of the 50 states, and by October 15, 2002 (the first observance of PAILRD) 20 states had signed proclamations recognizing the date as such.
As a result of the American campaign effort, Concurrent Resolution H. CON. RES. 222 Supporting the goals and ideals of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day was passed in the House of Representatives on September 28, 2006.http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:hc222rfs.txt.pdf.
To date, all 50 American states have yearly proclamations, with Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, and South Dakota enacting permanent proclamations.http://www.rememberingourbabies.net/store/WsAboutus.asp
The Director of the Canadian Pregnancy Loss and Infant Death Awareness and Remembrance Campaign, Terra-Lynn Coggan, joined the American movement in September 2004 and took on the role as the Canadian Director for October 15 Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day and began the Canadian Campaign.
On October 12, 2005, when New Brunswick received official recognition of October 15 Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, Coggan resigned as the Canadian Director for the American Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Campaign and independently launched The Canadian Pregnancy Loss and Infant Death Awareness and Remembrance Campaigns.
Since New Brunswick’s Declaration of October 15, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day the province of Nova Scotia
has followed suit with a similar declaration. The provinces of Ontario
and Manitoba
are currently considering a declaration.
Through the legislative campaigns of individuals world wide Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is becoming an international day of observation. Germany and most other non-English speaking countries do not observe this day.
The goal of the CFO is to obtain an official day of remembrance, October 15 of each year, to ensure that all Canadian families who experience the loss of a child during pregnancy or shortly after birth are given the opportunity to acknowledge their loss, seek support, and honor their child’s memory in an understanding and supportive atmosphere.
The CFO works to promote national and international pregnancy loss and infant death awareness, remembrance, and support enabling the larger community the knowledge and skills required to assist and meet the needs of families who experience pregnancy loss and infant death.
Through the lobbying
efforts of Terra-Lynn Coggan, a Saint John
resident with the assistance of Saint John-Champlain MLA Roly MacIntyre, New Brunswick Minister of Health and Wellness, Hon. Elvy Robichaud
in a declaration dated October 12, 2005 did declare October 15 to be Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day across the province.
"Miscarriage and infant death are a source of grief
, often silent, for mothers
, fathers, siblings and grandparents." To recognize this loss, Hon. Elvy Robichaud, New Brunswick Minister of Health and Wellness declared October 15 to be Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day
He called on provincial
residents to help promote "support, education
and awareness for grieving parents who have lost infants during pregnancy or shortly after birth
.http://www.bearsforbereavedmommies.org/Pregnancy_and_infant_loss_English.pdf
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
, stillbirth
Stillbirth
A stillbirth occurs when a fetus has died in the uterus. The Australian definition specifies that fetal death is termed a stillbirth after 20 weeks gestation or the fetus weighs more than . Once the fetus has died the mother still has contractions and remains undelivered. The term is often used in...
, SIDS
Sudden infant death syndrome
Sudden infant death syndrome is marked by the sudden death of an infant that is unexpected by medical history, and remains unexplained after a thorough forensic autopsy and a detailed death scene investigation. An infant is at the highest risk for SIDS during sleep, which is why it is sometimes...
, or the death of a newborn. It is observed annually in the United States and Canada and, in recent years, in the United Kingdom, on October 15.
The day is observed with remembrance ceremonies and candle-lighting vigils, concluding with the International Wave of Light, a worldwide lighting of candles at 7:00 p.m.
History
The Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Movement began in the United States On October 25, 1988 when then-American President Ronald Reagan designated the month of October 1988 as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1988/102588b.htmThe October 15th Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day (PAILRD) Campaign began in 2002 as an American movement started by Robyn Bear, Lisa Brown, and Tammy Novak. Together, they petitioned the federal government, as well as the governors of each of the 50 states, and by October 15, 2002 (the first observance of PAILRD) 20 states had signed proclamations recognizing the date as such.
As a result of the American campaign effort, Concurrent Resolution H. CON. RES. 222 Supporting the goals and ideals of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day was passed in the House of Representatives on September 28, 2006.http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:hc222rfs.txt.pdf.
To date, all 50 American states have yearly proclamations, with Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, and South Dakota enacting permanent proclamations.http://www.rememberingourbabies.net/store/WsAboutus.asp
The Director of the Canadian Pregnancy Loss and Infant Death Awareness and Remembrance Campaign, Terra-Lynn Coggan, joined the American movement in September 2004 and took on the role as the Canadian Director for October 15 Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day and began the Canadian Campaign.
On October 12, 2005, when New Brunswick received official recognition of October 15 Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, Coggan resigned as the Canadian Director for the American Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Campaign and independently launched The Canadian Pregnancy Loss and Infant Death Awareness and Remembrance Campaigns.
Since New Brunswick’s Declaration of October 15, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day the province of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
has followed suit with a similar declaration. The provinces of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
are currently considering a declaration.
International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day
Contrary to the popular belief that Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is internationally legislated and observed as an international day of remembrance this is not the case.Through the legislative campaigns of individuals world wide Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is becoming an international day of observation. Germany and most other non-English speaking countries do not observe this day.
American Federal Campaign
As a result of the American campaign effort, Concurrent Resolution 222, supporting the goals and ideals of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, was passed in the House of Representatives on September 28, 2006. House Concurrent Resolution 222 proclaims October 15 of each year to be Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day in the United States.http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:hc222rfs.txt.pdfCanadian Federal Campaign
The Canadian Foundation for October 15, also known as the CFO is the official foundation of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day Canada. The CFO is leading the federal campaign to recognize October 15 as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day Canada.The goal of the CFO is to obtain an official day of remembrance, October 15 of each year, to ensure that all Canadian families who experience the loss of a child during pregnancy or shortly after birth are given the opportunity to acknowledge their loss, seek support, and honor their child’s memory in an understanding and supportive atmosphere.
The CFO works to promote national and international pregnancy loss and infant death awareness, remembrance, and support enabling the larger community the knowledge and skills required to assist and meet the needs of families who experience pregnancy loss and infant death.
New Brunswick, Canada
New Brunswick is the first province in Canada to officially recognize October 15 as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.Through the lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
efforts of Terra-Lynn Coggan, a Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
resident with the assistance of Saint John-Champlain MLA Roly MacIntyre, New Brunswick Minister of Health and Wellness, Hon. Elvy Robichaud
Elvy Robichaud
Elvy Robichaud is a former Canadian politician. He last served in 2006 as the member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick for Tracadie-Sheila....
in a declaration dated October 12, 2005 did declare October 15 to be Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day across the province.
"Miscarriage and infant death are a source of grief
Grief
Grief is a multi-faceted response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something to which a bond was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, and philosophical dimensions...
, often silent, for mothers
Mothers
Mothers was a club in Erdington, near Birmingham, England during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Mothers opened above an old furniture store in Erdington High Street on August 9, 1968. The club, run by John 'Spud' Taylor and promoter Phil Myatt, closed its doors on 3 January 1971...
, fathers, siblings and grandparents." To recognize this loss, Hon. Elvy Robichaud, New Brunswick Minister of Health and Wellness declared October 15 to be Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day
He called on provincial
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
residents to help promote "support, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and awareness for grieving parents who have lost infants during pregnancy or shortly after birth
Birth
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. The offspring is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the world...
.http://www.bearsforbereavedmommies.org/Pregnancy_and_infant_loss_English.pdf