A stillbirth is the loss of a fetus at or after the 20th week of pregnancy. It can happen before or during delivery, and it may be classed by timing:
| Type | When the loss occurs |
|---|---|
| Early | 20–27 weeks of pregnancy |
| Late | 28–36 weeks |
| Term | 37 weeks or later |
Risk factors
Stillbirth can happen in any pregnancy, but some factors may raise the chance. They include:
- being 35 or older;
- low socioeconomic status;
- smoking during pregnancy;
- certain medical conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure;
- being a non-Hispanic Black woman;
- a previous stillbirth;
- carrying more than one baby, such as twins or triplets.
Causes
Often the cause is never found. Some causes may be preventable, but most are not. Possible causes include:
- problems with the placenta, the organ that carries oxygen and nutrients to the fetus;
- genetic problems in the fetus;
- infections of the fetus;
- other physical problems in the fetus;
- problems with the umbilical cord during labor and delivery.
Diagnosis
Before delivery, the only way to diagnose a stillbirth is to check whether the fetus's heart is beating, usually with an ultrasound.
Your provider may suggest keeping track of your baby's movements during pregnancy. But not noticing movement doesn't always mean something is wrong — movement can be hard to notice, especially in a first pregnancy. If anything seems unusual or worries you, talk to your provider.
After delivery, the provider checks the baby for signs of life: breathing, a heartbeat, voluntary movement and pulsing in the umbilical cord. If any are missing, life-saving measures begin. A stillbirth may be diagnosed if they don't succeed.
Care after a stillbirth
Care depends on when the loss happens:
- Before labor: the provider may induce (start) labor or deliver the fetus by cesarean surgery.
- During labor and delivery: the placenta still needs to be delivered or removed.
Losing a pregnancy at any stage can be very hard, and counseling may help with grief. If you later decide to try to get pregnant again, work closely with your provider to understand any risks. Many women who have had a stillbirth go on to have healthy babies.
Sources
Based on "Stillbirth," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, drawing on the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NIH); a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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