Guiding Principals

The philosophical guidelines by which ANA operates and strives to fulfill its mission are as follows.

The experience of stillbirth profoundly affects parents and their families.
End-of-life services should be available to all families of stillborn children.
The ability to provide end-of-life services for stillborn children helps families move through the grief process and promotes healing.
Counseling services can help families address the grief associated with infant death.
End-of-life services enable parents to honor the life of their stillborn baby.
Education programs designed to inform healthcare providers and the community about grief and mourning specific to infant death promote greater understanding and an improved ability to appropriately support bereaved families.
Recognition and acknowledgment of a stillborn baby’s life is essential. The baby’s existence, however short, touches the lives of all who knew he or she existed and all who learn of his or her death.
Research can lead to a greater understanding of the causes of, and therefore ways to prevent, stillbirth.
Research can lead to the development of scientific advances that may help to prevent some instances of stillbirth.