National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

October 15 is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, a day for all grieving parents to remember their children who have passed away due to miscarriage or other causes. The mission of the day is to break the social stigma surrounding the topic and provide a space for people to share their experiences and express their pain.

History

The US Congress declared October as Pregnancy and Infant Death Awareness Month in 1988. In 2006, three miscarriage awareness activists started a petition to make October 15th the official National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, which was approved by the US House of Representatives. Since 2002, a similar day has been in the UK, and since 2003, Lost Babies Awareness Week has been organized in the country. In Canada, the holiday is not observed in every province, and in 2021, Australia declared it an official event.

Interesting facts

• On October 15th, people all over the world light candles and illuminate monuments as a tribute to their lost children.
• The official colors of the day are blue and pink, which are worn on clothing in the form of brooches, ribbons, and badges to show support.
• According to official statistics, 17% of pregnancies end in miscarriages.

How to take part

On this national day, you can read the stories of women who have experienced miscarriage, such as Lily Allen, who lost her baby six months pregnant in 2010, Meghan Markle, who had a miscarriage in November 2020, and Michelle Obama, who shared her experience of miscarriage in her memoirs. The most important thing for women who have lost a child to understand is that they are not alone in their grief.

When is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day in 2024?

National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is observed on October 15 each year.

Observations