(NewsNation) — As Bereaved Mother’s Day recognizes the profound grief of losing a child, Samantha Durante Banerjee, who experienced a stillbirth in 2013, is urging greater awareness about steps expectant mothers can take to protect their babies.
“The more I learned about stillbirth, which is a word that I had never heard once through my nine months of pregnancy, the more I learned that there were so many things that I and my providers could have done differently that might have given my daughter a different outcome,” said Durante Banerjee, executive director of the advocacy group PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy.
Durante Banerjee’s first-born daughter was stillborn just two days before her due date, despite what had seemed like a normal, healthy pregnancy. Such losses are common, with more than 21,000 stillbirths occurring each year in the U.S. — about 65 every day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While not all stillbirths are preventable, Durante Banerjee notes that about 25% are. She stresses the importance of monitoring fetal movements and insisting on medical attention if any changes occur, something many parents in the U.S. aren’t educated about.
“If you notice any changes to your baby’s normal patterns, frequency or strength of movement, speak up right away,” she advised.
For bereaved parents, Durante Banerjee said: “You’re not alone. And it’s not your fault … We are out there fighting for change in the name of your child, and all of our babies.”