How common is it to have a stillborn?

Question

And do women often have signs that this is going to happen, or is it totally unexpected?

I just read a question about a woman who gave birth to a still born at 34 weeks, and being 34 weeks all of a sudden I became alarmed. I can't begin to imagine that heartache. So, what are the signs, if any that this might happen to you??

Answer 1

Approximately one in 150 births result in being stillborn.

http://www.missingangelsbill.org/news/20060306.html

Further informationEmployment Lifestyle Miscarriage Pre-eclampsia Premature Birth Toxoplasmosis
Stillbirth Statistics

~70% of stillbirths are unexplained

In 1999, 71.3% of stillbirths in England, Wales & Northern Ireland were classified as unexplained fetal death. [CESDI 8th Annual Report]

Around 3,500 babies are stillborn in the UK each year.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the stillbirth rate is five babies for every 1,000 births (one in 200 babies).

In Scotland the stillbirth rate is six babies for every 1,000 births.

There are ten times more stillbirths each year than cot deaths (also known as sudden infant death syndrome).

Higher risk factors
The rate of stillbirth is much higher in multiple pregnancies - about 21 babies are stillborn for every 1,000 multiple births.

Research suggests that stillbirth is also a more common occurrence for women who smoke or for women over 35 years of age or women with some pre-existing medical conditions.
http://www.tommys.org/media/statistics/key-statistics/stillbirth-statistics.htm

Causes
The causes of a large percentage of human stillbirths remain unknown, even in cases where extensive testing and autopsy have been performed. The term used to describe these is sudden antenatal death syndrome or SADS. In cases where the cause is known, some possibilities of the cause of death are:

*bacterial infection
*birth defects
*chromosomal aberrations
*growth retardation
*Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy
*maternal diabetes or high blood pressure
*maternal consumption of nicotine, alcohol, recreational drugs (excluding cannabis[1]), or pharmaceutical drugs contraindicated in pregnancy
*postdate pregnancy
*placental abruption
*physical trauma
*radiation poisoning
*Rh disease
*umbilical cord accidents

Prenatal diagnosis
A decrease or cease of fetal activity may be an indication of fetal distress or death, though it is not entirely uncommon for a healthy fetus to exhibit such changes, particularly near the end of a pregnancy when there is considerably little space in the womb for the fetus to move about. Still, medical examination, including a nonstress test, is recommended in the event of any change in the strength or frequency of fetal movement, especially a complete cease; most midwives and obstetricians recommend the use of a kick chart to assist in detecting any changes. Fetal distress or death can be confirmed or ruled out via fetoscopy/doptone, ultrasound, and/or electronic fetal monitoring. If the fetus is alive but inactive, extra attention will be given to the placenta and umbilical cord during ultrasound examination to ensure that there is no compromise of oxygen and nutrient delivery.

Prenatal maternal treatment
An in utero fetal death does not present an immediate health risk to the mother and labour will usually begin spontaneously after two weeks, so the mother may choose to wait and deliver the child naturally. After two weeks, the mother is at risk of developing blood clotting problems, and induction is recommended at this point. In many cases, the mother will find the idea of carrying a dead fetus emotionally traumatizing and will elect to be induced. Cesarean delivery is not recommended unless complications develop during vaginal birth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stillbirth

Answer 2

When your baby is stillborn, expectations , hopes and dreams are cruelly shattered and lives are changed. Many parents have initial feelings of shock and confusion when told that their baby has died. What happened? Why you? Babies are not supposed to die. When they do, it can be devastating, overwhelming, and painful. We are very sorry that your baby died. No one can take away the pain, but we hope the following information will answer some questions, provide reassurance, and help you.
What Is Stillbirth? You may not have heard of stillbirth until you experienced it. When a baby dies before delivery, many people commonly think of miscarriage. Both stillbirth and miscarriage are types of pregnancy loss, but they differ by when the loss occurs. A miscarriage (sometimes called a spontaneous abortion) is when a baby dies before the 20th week of pregnancy. Stillbirth is the death of a baby after the 20th week of pregnancy but before delivery. Whenever parents deal with the death of their baby, whether it be early in pregnancy, late in pregnancy, or sometime after birth, there can be a great sense of disappointment, loss, and suffering. Stillbirth and miscarriage are separately defined not because one or the other is an easier or more difficult loss with which to deal, but because they differ in many ways. Stillbirth and miscarriage have different causes, need different evaluations, and differ medically and in the ways that parents and families can best be helped.
Stillbirth is common. It may affect anyone. There is no way to predict when stillbirth will happen or who will experience it. Stillbirth occurs in families of all races, religions, and income levels. Each year in the United States about 25,000 babies, or 68 babies every day, are born still. This is about 1 stillbirth in every 115 births. Most often a stillbirth is detected while the baby is in the mother’s uterus, sometimes not until labor is underway.

read more at:

Answer 3

for the most part you've jumped a tremendous hurdle for stillbirth. a lot of women have a stillborn in their 2nd trimester or early 3rd due to having an incompetent cervix (the pressure of the baby makes the cervix open, causing infection to the baby). my first son was stillborn due to having an incompetent cervix.

like others said, sometimes there are no signs. but i believe if you have a good doctor and get prenatal care, you should be fine.

Answer 4

There is really nothing a doctor can do, unless they do an ultra sound and find a problem with the cord, like it is wrapped around the baby's neck, or some other problem that can be fixed. It is like incometent cervix. You don't know most of the time until it is too late. I lost a baby girl at 21 weeks due to this last Aug 11th.

Answer 5

The only sign I can think of is less - none baby movements. Be sure to do your baby kick counts and make sure it's up there. If you notice the count is down don't be afraid to call you O.B. and let her know. They will do a Non-Stress Test also called a NST to check the babies heart rate and make sure everything is okay. Don't stress over this because you heard that someone that is the same amount of weeks as you had a still born. Everybody is different and things happen because GOD has a plan for everyone. Take it easy because your baby will feed off of your stress.

Answer 6

Human stillbirth

Causes
The causes of a large percentage of human stillbirths remain unknown, even in cases where extensive testing and autopsy have been performed. The term used to describe these is sudden antenatal death syndrome or SADS. In cases where the cause is known, some possibilities of the cause of death are:

bacterial infection
birth defects
chromosomal aberrations
growth retardation
Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy
maternal diabetes or high blood pressure
maternal consumption of nicotine, alcohol, recreational drugs (excluding cannabis[1]), or pharmaceutical drugs contraindicated in pregnancy
postdate pregnancy
placental abruption
physical trauma
radiation poisoning
Rh disease
umbilical cord accidents

[edit] Prenatal diagnosis
A decrease or cease of fetal activity may be an indication of fetal distress or death, though it is not entirely uncommon for a healthy fetus to exhibit such changes, particularly near the end of a pregnancy when there is considerably little space in the womb for the fetus to move about. Still, medical examination, including a nonstress test, is recommended in the event of any change in the strength or frequency of fetal movement, especially a complete cease; most midwives and obstetricians recommend the use of a kick chart to assist in detecting any changes. Fetal distress or death can be confirmed or ruled out via fetoscopy/doptone, ultrasound, and/or electronic fetal monitoring. If the fetus is alive but inactive, extra attention will be given to the placenta and umbilical cord during ultrasound examination to ensure that there is no compromise of oxygen and nutrient delivery

Answer 7

It is not common. And in each case, it is different. Some cases are unknown. Some babies are born without vital organs...
In our case, I had 2 prior c sections and had uterine rupture and placenta abruption (from the old scar tissue) @ 39 when our little baby girl, Alexis, was stillborn.

Answer 8

I didnt knew about stillbirth till it happened with me.A week before my due date I went for my weekly checkup.The baby's heart beat and my bp were normal.The very next morning I had me labor pains and bleeding.We immeditely went to the hospital ,when the nurse did my check up she cld no hear baby 's heart beat.I was sent for an ultra sound but got the same answer.We could not believe that our baby was no more.After autopsy doctors said it might be due to placental abruption but they were not sure.
In my case there were no indications of what was going to happen nor it was certain why it happened..Everything was ok on one evening but nothing was left on the next .

Answer 9

About 1 out of 115 according to wikipedia in the U.S. I knew a woman who had a stillbirth one week before the baby shower we were throwing for them, it was about 3 weeks before her due date. She was fine and then something wasn't right, so they went to the hospital and found out the baby had died. It was so hard, no one knew what to say to them. it was their first child and they had been so excited and so close the due date. They never found out what happened either, it remains unexplained.

Answer 10

there are no signs or warnings, it just happens. If you notice a marked decrease in fetal activity then call your dr, there maybe a problem. Stillbirth is rare, and unexpected, which makes it all the more tragic.