Stillbirth (patient information)

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, M.B.B.S.

A stillbirth is when a fetus that was expected to survive dies during birth or during the last half of pregnancy.

• Stillbirth can be caused by:

• Birth defects
• Chromosome abnormalities
• Infection, in the mother or the fetus
• Injuries
• Medical conditions of the mother, such as diabetes, epilepsy, and high blood pressure
• Placenta problems (placental detachment or poor placental function)
• Sudden severe blood loss (hemorrhage) in the mother or fetus
• Stopping of the heartbeat (cardiac arrest) in the mother or fetus
• Umbilical cord problems

• In about 15 – 35% of stillbirths, no explanation can be found.

• Stillbirth is becoming less common as care for pregnancy improves.

• If you have a stillbirth, your health care provider may ask to carefully examine and test the fetus to determine the cause of stillbirth. This may help plan medical care for any future pregnancies. A full autopsy will be offered. You may decline this option if you wish.

• Stillbirth is traumatic for the mother and her family.

• It can cause grief and lead to an increased risk for postpartum depression.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002304.htm

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