{"id":33968,"date":"2025-04-23T15:42:15","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T15:42:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/?p=33968"},"modified":"2025-04-23T15:42:16","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T15:42:16","slug":"child-loss-ministry-calls-for-change-in-medical-code-describing-miscarriage-as-spontaneous-abortion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/child-loss-ministry-calls-for-change-in-medical-code-describing-miscarriage-as-spontaneous-abortion\/","title":{"rendered":"Child loss ministry calls for change in medical code describing miscarriage as “spontaneous abortion”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By: Jean Mondoro, originally published April 17, 2025, Pregnancy Help News<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Louisiana-based nonprofit has launched a petition to change the medical language surrounding miscarriages, which currently likens the natural death of an unborn child to the intentional killing of the preborn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red Bird Ministries<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0was founded with the goal of providing helpful resources for parents and families who suffer the loss of a child. In its ongoing efforts to support those who have had miscarriages, the nonprofit is calling for a change to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) code that describes miscarriages as \u201cspontaneous abortions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a0petition<\/a><\/strong>, which had 800 verified signatures at press time, is addressed to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). It emphasizes the \u201cdistress caused by the insensitive language used\u201d by the ICD to describe miscarriage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is a noticeable discrepancy between how doctors communicate compassionately, using phrases like \u2018I\u2019m sorry, your baby does not have a heartbeat\u2019 or \u2018I\u2019m sorry, you are experiencing a miscarriage,\u2019 and the clinical term \u2018spontaneous abortion,\u2019\u201d the Change.org petition language states. \u201cThis clinical language feels cold and unnecessary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The petition acknowledged that \u201csignificant strides\u201d have been made within the medical field to practice \u201cmore compassionate language\u201d in healthcare, noting that \u201cthe same sensitivity has yet to be reflected in the ICD codes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But now with digital medical records patients are able to access their records without the presence of providers \u201cto interpret or clarify the language in their records.\u201d And this opens the door to women who are processing the grief of a miscarriage having to encounter terminology in their personal records in effect stating that they had an abortion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis petition calls for a compassionate revision of ICD codes, replacing the term \u2018spontaneous abortion\u2019 with \u2018miscarriage,\u2019\u201d the text states. \u201cThis change will reduce the trauma associated with the loss of a pregnancy and support the healing process for countless women.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kelly Breaux, the founder of Red Bird Ministries, told Pregnancy Help News<\/em> in an email exchange that the term for miscarriage in the ICD coding has always been \u2018spontaneous abortion.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The language hits close to home for Breaux, who lost her third child in a miscarriage. This loss came years after she and her husband lost twins who were born prematurely. Their son died 15 days after the sudden birth and his sister lived until she was nearly four.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, amid the heartache they suffered with miscarrying their third child, Breaux recalled that none of the medical team who treated her during that time \u201cever referred to our baby or our loss as a spontaneous abortion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather, they \u201cused compassionate language and always referred to my baby as a baby.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During her recovery, Breaux explained that the bill and explanation of benefits (EOB) from her insurance company described the dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure to remove her dead baby as a \u201cspontaneous abortion,\u201d along with the corresponding ICD code. This prompted Breaux to worry that their child had actually been alive when the procedure was performed, and she called her doctor\u2019s office to confirm that this was not the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are privileged to hear the heartache of men and women at the delivery of their baby who died in the womb at all stages of pregnancy,\u201d Breaux told Pregnancy Help News<\/em> about Red Bird Ministries\u2019 work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur team helps to accompany them through the trauma of their loss and delivery,\u201d she said. \u201cThe medical codes used for miscarriage are very triggering to women and, given the nature of how we receive our medical records digitally, women are more likely to see the codes than before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked what counter message she would give to women suffering miscarriage, Breaux replied, \u201cYour baby\u2019s life mattered. Your baby had inherent dignity, was loved deeply, is worthy to be named, treasured, grieved, honored and remembered. We are sorry that you know this pain, the silent ache of miscarriage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red Bird Ministries was founded in 2018 and as described by Breaux, is a \u201cpro-life and pro-family grief support ministry\u201d that \u201chelp[s] families dealing with the heartache of child loss of any age, and families who are impacted by suicide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those suffering from child loss can contact the ministry for support through its\u00a0website<\/a><\/strong>. Additionally, anyone interested in signing the petition can do so\u00a0HERE<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jean Mondoro is a Virginia-based news writer and journalist. She has written for various conservative, Catholic and pro-life companies, blogs and news outlets, including the Chastity Project and Check Your Fact.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By: Jean Mondoro, originally published April 17, 2025, Pregnancy Help News A Louisiana-based nonprofit has launched a petition to change the medical language surrounding miscarriages, which currently likens the natural death of an unborn child to the intentional killing of the preborn. 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