Anne Webster (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today in support of this motion before the chamber on International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, when bereaved parents, families, friends and healthcare workers pause to remember the babies that have been lost through miscarriage, stillbirth and infant death.

Infant loss is something that is all too common in our country and around the world, and the pain that this causes is felt by thousands every day. Sadly, three in every 1,000 babies born each year in Australia die before they reach 12 months of age. In addition to this, six babies are stillborn every day and one in four pregnancies ends in a miscarriage.

The Australian government recognises the devastation that pregnancy and infant loss has on families. I also have a personal interest in rising to support this motion today, due to my personal experience in pregnancy loss. My husband and I experienced a miscarriage after five years of infertility. The pain and heartbreak I felt was immense. I want to make sure that we as a nation provide the level of support and assistance that families need at this difficult time.

The issue of pregnancy and infant loss is one that my government is taking seriously. We want to see fewer families experience pregnancy and infant loss in the future. But when they do, we want to provide support to those families who experience this pain. That is why this government is investing $52.4 million in perinatal services and support, with the aim of ensuring that families are supported effectively and appropriately. This funding has different parts, and is aimed at providing support across a range of areas. It includes $43.9 million for a new perinatal mental health program which will help support the mental health of expectant and new parents in Australia and will provide support for families experiencing grief following stillbirth, miscarriage or infant death.

This investment is because we have heard from families that current support is not adequate. We also know that good mental health support is important to those who are experiencing this, not just for parents but also for other members of the family. We must never forget that the loss of a child, whether born or not, is one of the most traumatic times in a person's life; we need to provide as much support for the families as we possibly can.

While Australia is among the safest countries in the world to give birth in, there are still six babies that are stillborn every day. Stillbirth affects over 2,000 Australian families each year. That is why, as announced in December 2018, a further $7.2 million has been invested to support those families who experience stillbirth. Funding for support and education in this space is essential. Data shows that for every 137 women who reach 20 weeks pregnancy, one will experience the devastation of a stillbirth. Stillbirth is one of the most devastating events that any family could experience. The rate of stillbirth, according to the Centre of Research Excellence in Stillbirth, is 30 times higher than that of sudden infant death syndrome. We often hear that stillbirth is shrouded in mystery and silence, and we know that it receives far less public attention than other infant and childhood deaths. The number of stillbirths is still too high, and we in this House are committed to raising the profile of and eliminating the stigma around stillbirth.

As a response to the fact that despite medical advances in care of pregnant women and unborn babies the rate of stillbirth in Australia has not fallen over the last 20 years, the government is investing $3 million for stillbirth education and awareness programs to ensure that mothers, fathers and healthcare professionals are all educated about the risks that lead to stillbirth. A further $1.2 million is for the University of Melbourne, for a research project to minimise preventable stillbirth through the use of biomarkers and ultrasound in late pregnancy. Three million dollars has been allocated through the Medical Research Future Fund to enable the Safer Baby Bundle project, a vital project to be extended to all states and territories. And there is $1.3 million for Sands Australia to deliver an intensive support service for families following miscarriage and stillbirth.

I commend this motion to the chamber, and thank the member for Werriwa for bringing this important issue to the attention of parliament.

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