Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Cyber Security and Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) 15 October marks International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day;

(b) on this day, parents, families and friends will memorialise babies they have lost through miscarriage, stillbirth and infant death; and

(c) International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is an opportunity to officially acknowledge the losses experienced by parents and families across Australia;

(2) acknowledges that in Australia:

(a) it is estimated that one in four pregnancies results in miscarriage—that's 103,000 every year;

(b) in 2016 2,849 lives were lost due to stillbirth or newborn death;

(c) the rate of stillbirth and newborn death is 70 per cent higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;

(d) despite medical advancements, the stillbirth rate has not changed in two decades; and

(e) International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of this difficult reality and start a conversation about miscarriage and infant loss;

(3) expresses sympathy to all families who have suffered a miscarriage, a stillbirth or infant death; and

(4) commends each and every person who has supported parents and families through their journey from the loss of a baby.

Chris and I were really excited about our first pregnancy. I had passed the no-go zone after a year of being on Roaccutane for adult acne. You have to sign a disclaimer that you will not fall pregnant while you are taking it or for a period after you have taken it. Chris and I were also really excited about my first ultrasound. We were really excited about seeing what was causing the changes to my body in such a short period of time. We were really excited about acquainting ourselves with what we looked forward to being a future member of our family. We were really excited about seeing that little heartbeat.

Back then—and I'm not sure whether it's the same today—you had to drink what seemed like litres of water to have a full bladder for the ultrasound for the best vision of the baby. I did that and when I went to the ultrasound my doctor told me that my bladder was too full, so I went to the toilet. When I came back from the toilet my doctor told me my bladder was too empty. After the optimal amount of water, I lay there eagerly awaiting that first vision of the baby. I was eagerly awaiting the clear read on the baby. The doctor got a clear read, and I strained to see what he was seeing. Then he paused, looked closer and turned to me and told me that there was no heartbeat—that the baby was dead. That was it. That was the language he used. He then told me to get dressed and meet him in his office to discuss an appointment for a D and C. That was it. That was the language he used.

After I got dressed and we worked out a time for the D and C I left his rooms. I left his rooms without any offer of support, without any offer of support services and without any offer of sympathy. That was 20 years ago. Twenty years ago, when I was trying to fall pregnant and trying to keep my pregnancies, the rate of stillbirth was more than 2,000 babies a year—six babies a day. Twenty years on the rate of stillbirth is still the same—more than 2,000 babies a year—six babies a day.

Pregnancy loss carries with it countless misconceptions—that it's uncommon, that it's caused by stress or even that it is the fault of the mother. Pregnancy loss is more than just an unfortunate blip on the radar or a sad detour on the way to a successful pregnancy. For many parents the death of a much-wanted baby is a life-altering tragedy that rips away hope of a happy ending. According to Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Newborn Death Support, one in four confirmed pregnancies tragically ends in a miscarriage. Today is International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Today. Today is an opportunity to talk about pregnancy subjects that are usually avoided or are taboo—things like miscarriage, stillbirth and infant loss.

In 2015 Samantha and Aaron were expecting their first child. Sam's pregnancy was what they call a low-risk and textbook pregnancy. She was 24. It was her first pregnancy. She was fit and healthy. Sam always had a feeling that something wasn't quite right. On 14 November 2015 Sam went to the hospital with severe pain in her feet, an intense feeling of sickness and a headache. She was monitored for a few hours and then she was sent home. The next day Sam woke up and her baby didn't move in the usual 'good morning' way. Sam went to the hospital again. At 37 weeks pregnant Sam was told that her baby no longer had a heartbeat. Evelyn Louise Isfahani was born sleeping on 16 November 2015.

Stillbirth still remains the leading cause of death in infants, and the cause of at least one-third of all stillborn babies remains unknown. Yesterday, Labor's shadow minister for health announced that, under a Shorten Labor government, Labor will invest $5 million to fund prevention and research programs in an effort to spare families the unimaginable heartache of losing their babies, and I say thank you.

Finally, I want to express my sympathies to all the families who have suffered a miscarriage, a stillbirth or an infant death. I encourage Australians on this day and every day to speak openly about these topics so we can remove the stigma and give families the vital support they need. I want to thank Steph Brimson, who's part of my team, who has been a tireless advocate on this issue, and I encourage her to continue her quest for support for these families going through such tragedy.

Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion.

Nicolle Flint (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Canberra for her advocacy on this very important issue, for moving the motion today and for sharing her very personal story with us this morning. It's a very brave thing to do—and we probably don't do it enough in this place—because it does make a difference when all of the women and the families sitting out there see you talking about these sorts of things. It gives them hope that, first of all, we understand and that we're working on things that really matter to them.

As a lot of people in this place probably know, the member for Canberra and I are very passionate about supporting women's health around reproductive issues, and we have already done a lot of good work together on endometriosis, where we have achieved significant outcomes for women in a very short space of time. While our male colleagues can understand these issues, they don't personally physically go through them, so there is a difference that a woman's perspective does make on these sorts of things, as the member for Canberra has just very bravely outlined.

I'm pleased to speak on this issue today, because stillbirth awareness is a critical issue for us to educate women, families and the medical profession about across Australia. This awareness and education has the potential to save the lives of unborn babies. My understanding of this issue has been helped by the South Australian organisation Still Aware. I want to pay tribute to their incredible advocacy on stillbirth awareness today. Claire Foord founded Still Aware because of her own deeply personal and tragic experience. In February 2014, Claire and her husband welcomed a baby girl, Alfie. Alfie was stillborn at term without explanation. Alfie had no illness and no identified issues, but she was born still. Despite her indescribable grief, Claire decided she would do everything in her power to prevent other women from suffering the tragedy that she and her family suffered. Now, as CEO of Still Aware, Claire works tirelessly to ensure other mothers do not have to go through the same loss. Still Aware is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to raise awareness of the occurrence of stillbirth and what prevention strategies can be used by expectant mothers. It also provides support to families who have lived through this terrible tragedy.

'Stillbirth' is defined as the death of a baby beyond 20 weeks gestation. Sadly, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, around 2,200 babies are born still in Australia every year. This is about double the number of road fatalities. While we all know about road fatalities and how to prevent them, too many women don't know about stillbirth. Too many women don't know about the risk factors and signs that could save their unborn baby's life. At the moment, there's no mandatory educational training for clinicians and no mandatory information provided to women when they're pregnant. Educating expectant mothers on the signs to look for, including reduced fetal movement or unusual fetal movement and safer sleeping positions while pregnant, could help save an unborn baby's life. The message is very clear: if you are concerned about your baby, don't wait—seek medical assistance immediately.

International experience suggests that it is possible to reduce the instance of stillbirth through education. In Norway, mothers monitoring their baby's movements daily in the third trimester, which is 28 weeks onwards, resulted in a 30 per cent reduction in stillbirth. In New Zealand, a 30 per cent drop in unexplained late-term stillbirth over three years coincided with the introduction of midwives providing sleep position advice to pregnant women as part of their antenatal care. This work was supported by the findings of three studies which showed that, when a pregnant mother sleeps on her back, the risk of stillbirth is increased.

Here in Australia we haven't seen these sorts of declines in stillbirth rates, and I believe it is critical that we do. I was genuinely shocked to learn that, over the past 20 years, there has not been a decline in the number of babies born still. I'd like to acknowledge the work that Still Aware and the Stillbirth Foundation do to promote education, awareness and research about stillbirth in Australia.

The government is committed to supporting those affected by pregnancy and infant loss and to improving infant and maternal health outcomes. In this year's budget, we announced nearly $18 million for the Maternal Health and First 2000 Days research program. I note the opposition's announcement yesterday on stillbirth and I will look very carefully at their proposal. I will continue to work with the Minister for Health on behalf of all women and families so that we can reduce the rate of babies born still here in Australia.

Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I too thank the member for Canberra for moving this very important motion on pregnancy and infant loss. Firstly, I want to acknowledge the parents and families who have lost a child or children in pregnancy, infancy or at birth. I acknowledge your loss in this place and pay my respects and sympathy to you and your families. I also acknowledge First Nations women and their families whose babies were taken from them and, in many cases, they never saw these children again.

This is an issue that is very close to my heart. The loss of a child at any stage of pregnancy or infancy or at birth is unbelievably painful for the parents, other children, extended family and close friends. I am sure that there is not a day that goes by that we do not think about the children or child that we have lost. Far too many families grieve in silence, and that was my experience. It was not because I did not have a family that was very supportive around me. In those days, losing a baby during pregnancy was really not discussed or even thought of. In fact, I doubt that I have ever properly grieved for the baby that I lost in pregnancy, because there was no opportunity to do so. Life simply went on. I came home from hospital, had a day off and went back to work. I am talking about 34 years ago, but that does not mean that I don't often think about the child. I wonder whether it was a boy or a girl and what he or she would have looked like. So opportunities like today, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, are very important and are welcome in our communities. It is very pleasing to see that times have evolved and the loss of a child is now talked about openly and we 'Walk to Remember'.

In October 1988 President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the month of October as National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month in the United States. The former President made a very poignant point when he stated:

When a child loses his parent, they are called an orphan. When a spouse loses her or his partner, they are called a widow or widower. When parents loses their child, there isn't a word to describe them.

International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day allows parents, families and communities to officially stop, remember and come together. Each family's experience is unique, because, as human beings, we are all very unique. In a society where we have expanded lines of communication from carrier pigeon to the multiple modes of Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, emails, text messages and mobile phones, in all of these communication methods we have somehow lost the art of actually personally reaching out.

I remember attending the Sands Walk to Remember in Townsville for the first time and being hit by emotions that had been deeply buried. Yes, life does go on and, yes, we did already have two other healthy, beautiful children, and in time we had another healthy child, but we also lost a child that we knew absolutely nothing about. The only time our third child was referred to was when I fell pregnant with our last child and I was asked how many pregnancies I had had. Thankfully, as I said, in today's world we talk much more openly and we hold our memories in our hearts. The love that we have for our lost babies will live forever in our hearts.

Yesterday I, along with many other parents and families, attended the Sands Australia remembrance walk in Townsville. I congratulate Linda Adams, who brought Sands to Townsville in 2006 and has dedicated a huge amount of time to Sands in our community. Marie Dueble, Loretta and Janice coordinated the ceremony with the help of a wonderful team of volunteers.

This ceremony provided a healing experience for the parents, siblings, families and close friends who attended. It helps us heal by seeing we are not alone. It helps us heal by talking to each other. It helps us heal by providing support and guidance, and, importantly, it helps us remember the loved ones that we have lost. I want to thank Sands Australia for the tremendous work that they do and continue to do for other parents just like my husband and me.

I commend Labor for its announcement on the weekend. We will invest in research to assist in reducing the number of babies that are lost in infancy, at birth or in pregnancy. In 2018 we certainly should not be losing the children that we are currently losing. It is a journey that you would not wish on any person. I am very pleased, I must say, after 34 years, to be with people who are speaking very openly about their experiences and are supporting each other.

Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I acknowledge and thank the member for Canberra for moving this motion, and I thank her and the member for Herbert for sharing their stories of their babies. Today is International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Today, and each day that follows, six families will grieve the loss of a stillborn baby. More babies will fight for life in neonatal intensive care units around the country, where the issues or infections that they were born with will become insurmountable. Tonight candles will be lit to acknowledge bereaved parents and provide support in their loss.

The number of little lives lost each year tells the story of families affected by the loss of a baby or a pregnancy. We estimate that one in four pregnancies results in miscarriage. In 2016, 2,849 lives were lost to stillbirth or within the first four weeks of life. This issue is even more prolific among Indigenous Australians. They are almost twice as likely to experience the loss of a baby due to stillbirth or neonatal death than the Australian population at large, and this rate has not moved for the past two decades. Furthermore, culturally and linguistically diverse Australians also experience stillbirth and neonatal loss at a higher rate than the general population. In 2013-14, nearly 35 per cent of all stillbirths that occurred in Australia were born to women who were born in countries other than our own. Given these statistics, I commend the Senate for establishing the Select Committee on Stillbirth Research and Education. This committee will inquire and report on the future of stillbirth research and education in Australia. I acknowledge the work of Senator Keneally in highlighting these issues, and her daughter Carolyn's importance to her family.

For families of the future, we must do everything that we can to reduce the number of babies lost. We must educate families about steps that they can take to improve pregnancy outcomes. We must properly fund critical research into why stillbirth still happens. We must ensure that we take the opportunity to gather data wherever possible to better this critical research. This is why Labor announced that, if a Shorten Labor government is elected, it will invest in driving down the stillbirth rate in Australia. Labor will fund prevention, education and research programs that will make a critical difference in saving lives and sparing families the unimaginable heartbreak of losing their babies. When the Senate select committee delivers its report, Labor will consider further measures. These include developing a national stillbirth strategy to ensure that this issue is addressed with comprehensive policy measures.

Today is about recognising those families for whom there is someone missing to celebrate birthdays, Christmas, graduations and all those special family moments. Today is about supporting parents and grandparents, and mums and dads too. Today is about recognising their loss, which is rarely spoken about. Talking about their feelings and concerns will help families better cope with the future that lies ahead.

The Senate select committee submissions tell us that it's not only grieving mothers who are impacted when a baby is stillborn. Stillbirth is especially difficult for fathers, who are often expected to hold things together and suppress the pain they're feeling. Stigma is a cycle. Vulnerability and trauma on this issue should not be things that families feel they need to hide. As a caring and compassionate society, Australia owes it to the families who have lost children to step up and discuss how we can do better. We know that having a conversation around regular infant movement dramatically reduces the risk of stillbirth. We know that taking women's anxieties seriously during pregnancy has a positive impact on live births. And we know that naming stillbirth as a risk to women between 18 and 24 weeks dramatically increases awareness, vigilance and, ultimately, prevention.

Today though is also about recognising those groups like Sands Australia, the Stillbirth Foundation and Red Nose that work tirelessly to support families and develop solutions to improve the numbers of little lives lost every year. It is only recent changes that have allowed babies in New South Wales that were stillborn to be registered by Births, Deaths and Marriages. This official recognition has helped to raise awareness of the scale of the issue, but, more importantly, it helps families and communities recognise the baby's existence was important. I would like to express my sympathy to all families—dads and mums, grandparents, siblings and friends—who've been touched by today's recognition. My family recognise Michael and Meaghan, who are still a very special part of our family.

Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There being no further speakers, the debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.