What is a stillbirth?
Stillbirth is the death of a baby after the 20 th week of pregnancy, but before delivery. The baby might have died in the uterus weeks or hours before labor, or rarely, during labor.
How common are stillbirths?
Stillbirth occurs in about 1 percent of all births.
What causes stillbirths?
The three major causes of stillbirths are:
- Problems with the placenta and/or umbilical cord — Because the fetus gets its blood, oxygen, and nutrients through the placenta and umbilical cord, problems in either will interfere with fetal development.
- Maternal medical conditions and lifestyle choices — Certain illnesses in the mother, or their treatments, sometimes cause stillbirths. Some of these conditions include high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure and swelling, often late in the pregnancy) diabetes, lupus, heart or thyroid disease, and certain viral or bacterial infections. Older mothers are usually at increased risk for these conditions, as well as for stillbirths. Smoking, drinking alcohol, and using certain recreational drugs during pregnancy are also associated with higher rates of stillbirth.
- Birth defects — In about one-fourth of stillborn babies, one or more birth defects are responsible for the death. Many are found only after a thorough examination of the baby and an autopsy.
Unfortunately, many stillbirths are unexplained, which only adds to parents’ grief.
What happens after a stillborn baby is delivered?
You will be able to hold your baby, and your health care providers will allow you as much time as you need to spend with your child. You might feel uncomfortable with this idea at first.
Ask for and keep any mementos and keepsakes of your child, such as the I.D. bracelet, blanket, or a lock of your child’s hair, and take as many pictures as possible. As with holding your baby, this might also be uncomfortable but it might be a cherished possession at a later time and might help you during your grieving process. Most hospitals will issue the family a birth certificate, but make sure you ask, and request that it include the baby’s hand and footprints.
How can I find out what caused my baby to be stillborn?
The doctor will carefully examine the baby and placenta to check for abnormalities. In most cases, a blood sample will be taken from the baby and tested for chromosomal or other genetic abnormalities.
The doctor will also review medical records and the circumstances surrounding the stillbirth. With your consent, an internal examination (autopsy) can be performed to determine the cause of your baby’s death. An autopsy is a surgical procedure performed by a skilled pathologist. Incisions are made to avoid any disfigurement, and the incisions are surgically repaired in the usual way. You have the right to limit the autopsy to eliminate any incisions on your baby that are not comfortable for you. Be sure to write these requests on the autopsy permission form.
Some hospitals do not perform their own autopsies, so your baby might have to be transported to another hospital. Be sure you feel comfortable about where your child is being sent.
You also have the right to deny an autopsy, if this is your wish.
An autopsy might be legally required in some cases, including when:
- A baby has died within 24 hours of a surgical operation
- A doctor cannot certify the cause of death
- A baby was alive (defined as "drawing breath") and died suddenly
What physical symptoms does the mother have after delivering a stillborn baby?
If you have heavy bleeding, fever, chills, or pain, contact your health care provider right away. These might be signs of an infection.
After the delivery of the placenta, the milk-producing hormones will be activated (lactation). Please talk to your health care provider about your options to stop lactation.
Can a stillbirth be prevented?
Usually a stillbirth cannot be prevented, and often occurs because the baby’s development was not normal.
Sometimes, treatment of a mother’s illness can improve the chances for a successful pregnancy.
Is a funeral necessary?
After the death of your baby, one of the first decisions you will be faced with is whether or not you need to arrange a funeral.
The type of arrangements you make might play an important role in the grieving process. It is a decision that only you and your partner can reach together. You might find that you need time to make your decisions and arrangements. It is quite common for families to take up to a week (and sometimes longer) to make arrangements. This is okay.
No matter what your choice is, you have the right to change your mind. Be sure you ask whomever is carrying out your arrangements just how long you have to make any changes.
How should I communicate with my other children?
You might find your surviving children are a comfort, a worry, or just too hard to deal with. These are normal reactions. Take time to grieve and say goodbye to the child you lost. You will eventually feel more normal feelings for your living children, and the bond you have with them might become even stronger because of this experience.
No matter how much you might want to shelter your children from pain, they can sense the emotion around them. Honesty is the best way to help your children cope with this painful experience. Children have a different understanding of death at different developmental stages. Help them to understand as much as they are able, but don’t forget that they usually interpret what they’re told very literally.
Can I get pregnant after I’ve delivered a stillborn baby?
Yes. Most women who deliver stillborn babies have subsequent normal pregnancies and births. If the stillbirth was caused by a malformation or umbilical cord problem, the chances of recurrence in a subsequent pregnancy are minimal. If the cause was a chronic maternal illness or a genetic disorder, the risk is somewhat higher. On average, the chance that a woman’s next pregnancy will result in stillbirth is about 3 percent, which means the majority of post-stillbirth pregnancies result in healthy births.
Take time to heal both physically and emotionally after delivering a stillborn baby. Regardless of the stage of pregnancy during which your loss occurred, you are still a mother or father and the life you nurtured was real. Above all, don’t blame yourself. Give yourself time to grieve and accept your loss.
Counseling is available to help you cope. Pregnancy loss support groups might also be a valuable resource to you and your partner. Ask your health care provider for more information about counseling and support groups.
Discuss the timing of your next pregnancy with your health care provider to ensure that you are physically ready to begin a new pregnancy. Some health care providers recommend waiting a certain amount of time (from six months to one year) before trying to conceive again. Some studies have shown that women who wait for at least one year to conceive might have less depression and anxiety during a subsequent pregnancy.
Statistics show that about 60 percent of couples take up to six months to conceive and another 30 percent take up to 12 months after delivery of a stillborn baby. Don’t be surprised if things don’t happen quickly.
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This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. This document was last reviewed on: 3/23/2005
