PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy Applauds First-Ever Cuomo Bridge Lighting for National Stillbirth Prevention Day

Illuminations highlight the urgent need for recognition, prevention, and Paid Family Leave for families affected by stillbirth

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, September 19, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy, a grassroots national organization on a mission to end preventable stillbirth in the U.S., is commemorating a historic first in stillbirth awareness: on September 19, the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge will be illuminated for National Stillbirth Prevention Day. In addition, New York City’s iconic 230 Park Ave (the Helmsley Building) will also light up in recognition. These unprecedented illuminations honor babies lost to stillbirth, give families a visible moment of recognition, and raise awareness that at least 1 in 4 U.S. stillbirths are preventable with current tools and simple, standardized changes to improve prenatal care protocols.

Stillbirth—defined as the loss of a baby at 20 weeks of pregnancy or later—remains a critical public health concern in New York. Each year, roughly 1,400 families in New York State experience stillbirth, contributing to more than 20,000 losses nationwide. Over 80% of stillbirths take place in pregnancies with no known maternal risk factors; the vast majority of these babies are otherwise healthy, many occurring in pregnancies believed to be “low-risk.” These deaths are deeply devastating for families, and many could be prevented through education, standardized health protocols, and awareness of modifiable risk factors.

Despite this ongoing epidemic, New York still lacks critical protections for families grieving a stillbirth. Under current law, individuals who experience a stillbirth are ineligible for Paid Family Leave, even if previously approved. Advocates, including PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy’s bereaved parent Changemakers, have repeatedly urged the State Assembly to extend benefits to families in these circumstances, noting the approximately 700 eligible families in New York who face this gap each year. Continued access to paid leave could help mitigate the five-times heightened physical and mental health risks associated with the postpartum period following stillbirth, offering parents both recovery time and financial stability during an incredibly vulnerable time.

“By lighting the Cuomo Bridge and 230 Park Ave, New York is shining a light on the neglected public health crisis of stillbirth — a tragedy that has left hundreds of thousands of American families heartbroken, and which is contributing directly to the dire maternal health situation in the United States,” said Samantha Banerjee, Executive Director of PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy, and mother to Alana, born still in 2013 two days before her due date after an otherwise normal and healthy pregnancy. “This moment is not only about remembrance, but also about the urgent need for awareness, prevention, support, and policies like Paid Family Leave that honor and protect grieving parents.”

“Too many families suffer in silence after stillbirth,” said Nora Moriarty Nicholson, PUSH Changemaker volunteer, New York Ambassador for Count the Kicks, and mother to Bryce, born still in 2013. “Illuminating the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge helps break that silence. It’s a beacon of love, remembrance, and commitment to advancing prevention and support for families.”

The illumination of the bridge is part of a broader national movement led by advocacy groups, healthcare providers, and parent networks working to reduce the rate of preventable stillbirths. Increased awareness, equitable access to resources, and improved standards of prenatal care—such as fetal movement education, routine third-trimester ultrasound, placenta and cord umbilical monitoring, and implicit bias training to address systemic racism—have the potential to save lives.

Advocates and state/local officials will gather at 7:30 pm on September 19th at Pierson Park (238 W. Main Street, Tarrytown) to mark the historic occasion.

Community members are encouraged to honor September 19 by educating themselves and loved ones on stillbirth risk and sharing free, empowered pregnancy tips that can help avert future tragedies.

About PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy
PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy is on a mission to end preventable stillbirth, and is not taking no for an answer. 65 babies die in the second half of pregnancy every single day in the U.S. - that’s over 20,000 each year, most of them otherwise healthy, and all of them deeply loved. Many of these babies could have been saved. Working closely with medical researchers, doctors, birth workers, and community advocates, PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy exists to eradicate preventable stillbirth in the U.S. by 2035. Learn more at www.pushpregnancy.org and watch their award-finalist 7-min short film PUSH at stillnessisanillness.com.

Daniela Sicuranza
Laura Evans Media
daniela@lauraevansmedia.com
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