Our Mission & Vision
Our mission is to be the most comprehensive center of excellence for stillbirth in the United States. We aim to be a national and global leader in the fight to end preventable stillbirths. As an academic medical center, we deliver excellence in clinical care, research, and bereavement support. Our vision is to provide encompassing, respectful, compassionate care for families who suffer from stillbirth pregnancy loss. The University of Utah Stillbirth Center of Excellence is an approved University of Utah Academic Center.
Six Cores of Utah Stillbirth Center
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Clinical Care
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Bereavement Support
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Education
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Advocacy
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Research
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Justice and Community Engagement
Stillbirth Rates & Improving Stillbirth Support
The Utah Stillbirth Center of Excellence works in partnership with many individuals and organizations to strive toward these ambitious yet critical aims by 2035.
- Cut the US stillbirth rate in half
- Cut racial disparities in US stillbirth rates in half
- Double the proportion of affected US families receiving bereavement support
- Ensure at least 75% of US stillbirths undergo a comprehensive perinatal audit and complete evaluation for potential causes
- Bring stillbirth permanently out of the shadows through changing cultural norms
- Establish the US as a global leader in stillbirth prevention, support, and research
- Make significant improvements to stillbirth rates in low-income and high-income settings worldwide
Announcements & Events
Stillbirth Symposium
Stillbirth Symposium: Closing The Gaps to share learning on equity in stillbirth rates.
Oct 11-14, 2024
Eccles Health Sciences Education Building
Salt Lake City, Utah
IMPROVE Workshop
IMPROVE is a half-day training workshop to improve the quality of care around stillbirth and newborn death, with an interactive learning approach, and pre-and post- assessments.
Oct 13-14, 2024
Eccles Health Sciences Education Building
Salt Lake City, Utah
The IMPROVE workshop was developed by the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand (PSANZ) and the Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence of the University of Queensland, Australia and has been delivered throughout Australia and New Zealand as well as in the Netherlands, Vietnam, Spain, the UK, and elsewhere.
International Stillbirth Alliance (ISA) Conference
It is important for countries to adopt a differential approach to further reduce stillbirths based on their contextual priorities, available resources, the global evidence and best practices.
19th Annual ISA Conference: Leaving No Country Behind
Nov 3-6, 2024
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Utah Pregnancy After Loss (UPAL) Program Care
The Utah Pregnancy After Loss (UPAL) Program provides care to families who have experienced the following:
- Stillbirth
- Newborn death
- Recurrent loss
- Termination for medical or obstetric reasons
- Pregnancies with serious complications
In addition to caring for families who are pregnant again after loss, we offer consultations with families who have recently suffered a pregnancy loss and want to discuss test results or plan for future pregnancies. In addition to offering mental health care, we are building a peer support program for families.
Team Spotlight
Stephanie has served as the women’s health campus clinic manager since December 2023. She holds a bachelor of science in nursing and a master of health administration, both from Western Governors University. She completed her advanced degree in August 2024. Prior to stepping into this managerial role, Stephanie was the clinical nurse coordinator (CNC) in Labor & Delivery, where she demonstrated her strong leadership and operational expertise. Stephanie's background includes several years as a travel nurse in labor and delivery, as well as experience as a case manager and director of clinical services for a home health company. Her diverse skillset and leadership experience have contributed significantly to her success in achieving departmental goals and objectives.
“Stephanie has made schedule adjustments to make sure all staff involved in UPAL got both emotional and clinical training to make this clinic successful. She has been immensely supportive in the roll out by regularly checking in and helping us to solve any hiccups during the roll out." —Aubree Abrams
“Stephanie is an exceptional patient advocate and has been an outstanding leader for the UPAL clinic. While much of her work is done behind the scenes, her tireless efforts do not go unnoticed. Providers, staff, and patients alike deeply appreciate her contributions, even if they may not always see the full extent of her dedication.” —Brenda Gulliver
“Stephanie has been amazingly supportive to make sure our UPAL clinic runs smoothly and that patients have access to everything they need to feel supported while getting their care from us. She has ensured that any problems we have with EPIC get addressed quickly and she has ensured we all receive the training we need to feel prepared to care for the diverse needs of our patient population.” —Astrid Littlewood
