In addition to risk factors that can increase the likelihood of a stillbirth, there are also factors that can cause or contribute to stillbirth. Remember, though, that in some cases of stillbirth, the cause of death remains unknown even after extensive testing.
To learn more about the possible causes of and contributors to stillbirth, the NICHD-supported Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network (SCRN) examined more than 500 stillbirths that occurred in 59 medical centers around the United States over 2½ years. In almost one-quarter of these cases, the researchers could not determine a probable or even a possible cause of death. Also, many of the stillbirths had more than one likely cause.
The likely causes of and contributors to stillbirth identified by the study are listed below in order from most common to least common:1
- Pregnancy and labor complications. Problems with the pregnancy likely caused almost one in three stillbirths. These complications included preterm labor, pregnancy with twins or triplets, and the separation of the placenta from the womb (also called “placental abruption;” the placenta provides nutrients and oxygen to the fetus). Pregnancy and labor complications were more common causes of stillbirths before week 24.
- Problems with the placenta. Almost one in four stillbirths were likely caused by problems with the placenta. One example of a placental problem that causes stillbirth is insufficient blood flow to the placenta. In the SCRN study, placental problems were the leading cause of stillbirths that took place before birth, and these deaths tended to occur after 24 weeks of pregnancy.
- Birth defects. In more than 1 of every 10 stillbirths, the fetus had a genetic or structural birth defect that probably or possibly caused the death.
- Infection. In more than 1 of every 10 stillbirths, the death was likely caused either by an infection in the fetus or in the placenta, or by a serious infection in the mother. Infections were a more common cause of death in stillbirths before week 24 than in those after.
- Problems with the umbilical cord. Problems with the umbilical cord were considered a probable or possible cause of about 1 in 10 stillbirths. For example, the cord can get knotted or squeezed, cutting off oxygen to the developing fetus. This cause of stillbirth tends to occur more toward the end of pregnancy.
- High blood pressure disorders. High blood pressure in the mother—whether due to chronic high blood pressure or to preeclampsia—also contributed to stillbirths. These types of stillbirths were more common in the end of the second trimester and the beginning of the third, compared with other parts of pregnancy.
- Medical complications in the mother. Problems with the mother’s health—such as diabetes—were considered a probable or possible cause in fewer than 1 in 10 of the stillbirths.
This research also showed that:
- Women who experienced financial, emotional, or other personal stress in the year before their delivery had an increased chance of having a stillbirth.
- Smoking tobacco or marijuana, taking prescription painkillers, or using illegal drugs during pregnancy is associated with double or even triple the risk of stillbirth.
Racial Disparities in Stillbirth
In the United States, stillbirths are more than twice as likely among Black women than among White women.2 However, the reasons for this are not entirely clear.
The SCRN study found that the most common causes of stillbirth were different for Black women than for White women. Compared with stillbirths experienced by White women and Hispanic women, stillbirths to non-Hispanic Black women tended to be caused by infection or by complications of pregnancy and labor. Also, in Black women, stillbirth was more likely to occur during (rather than before) labor and earlier than 24 weeks into the pregnancy.1
As mentioned above, SCRN research found that stillbirth was more than twice as likely among women who had experienced major financial, emotional, traumatic, or partner-related events in the year before delivery than among women who had not. Black women were more likely than women in general to have experienced at least three such stressful events in the past year.3
Citations
Open Citations
- The Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network Writing Group. (2011). Causes of death among stillbirths. Journal of the American Medical Association, 306(22), 2459–2468.
- MacDorman, M. F., Kirmeyer, S. E., & Wilson, E. C. (2012). Fetal and perinatal mortality, United States, 2006. National Vital Statistics Reports, 60(8). Retrieved July 31, 2013, from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr60/nvsr60_08.pdf (PDF 433 KB)
- Hogue, C. J., Parker, C. B., Willinger, M., Temple, J. R., & Bann, C. M. (2013). A population-based case-control study of stillbirth: the relationship of significant life events to the racial disparity for African Americans. American Journal of Epidemiology, 177(8), 755–767.
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FAQs
What is the main cause of stillbirth? ›
The cause is not always known (1 in 3 stillbirths cannot be explained), but the most likely causes include: Problems with the placenta and/or the umbilical cord. Your placenta is an organ that lines your uterus when you're pregnant. Through it and the umbilical cord, the fetus gets blood, oxygen and nutrients.
What are 3 factors that increase the risk of stillbirth? ›Maternal factors, such as advanced maternal age, teenage pregnancies, maternal nutritional status, history of prior pregnancy losses, complicated pregnancies [4] and multiple pregnancies increase the risk of stillbirths. Poor socio-economic conditions have also been found to be associated with stillbirths [5,6,7,8,9].
What is the possibility of stillbirth? ›How Many Babies Are Stillborn? Stillbirth affects about 1 in 175 births, and each year about 21,000 babies are stillborn in the United States.
What causes stillbirth and how do you avoid it? ›What causes a stillbirth? There can be a number of reasons why a baby is stillborn however sometimes a cause cannot be found. In Australia, the major causes of stillbirth are infection, the health of the mother, bleeding, a premature labour that cannot be stopped or an abnormality with the developing baby.
What is the biggest risk of stillbirth? ›The biggest nongenetic risk factors for a stillbirth in the United States are being an older mother; expecting more than one baby; having no other children; smoking; using drugs or alcohol; and having obesity, diabetes (gestational or not) or high blood pressure, according to the American College of Obstetricians and ...
What is the highest risk for stillbirth? ›- Low socioeconomic status.
- Older age (older than age 35)
- Smoking tobacco or marijuana during or just before pregnancy, or exposure to secondhand smoke during pregnancy.
- Using illegal drugs before or during pregnancy.
- Go to all your antenatal appointments. ...
- Eat healthily and keep active. ...
- Stop smoking. ...
- Avoid alcohol in pregnancy. ...
- Go to sleep on your side. ...
- Tell your midwife about any drug use. ...
- Have the flu jab.
The highest risk of stillbirth was seen at 42 weeks with 10.8 per 10,000 ongoing pregnancies (95% CI 9.2–12.4 per 10,000) (Table 2). The risk of stillbirth increased in an exponential fashion with increasing gestational age (R2=0.956) (Fig. 1).
Can I do anything to prevent stillbirth? ›These include: not smoking. avoiding alcohol and drugs during pregnancy – as well as increasing the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth, these can seriously affect your baby's development. attending all your antenatal appointments so that midwives can monitor the growth and wellbeing of your baby.
What week is stillbirth common? ›Stillbirths in the United States
About one-half of these stillbirths took place at 28 weeks of pregnancy or later.
How do you know if baby dies in womb? ›
If you have continued bleeding and pain, however, this may indicate that the developing baby has died. Another sign of pregnancy loss is when your baby's heartbeat cannot be found on ultrasound (a machine that takes pictures of your uterus and baby).
What are the symptoms if baby dies in womb? ›- Stopping of fetal movement and kicks.
- Spotting or bleeding.
- No fetal heartbeat heard with stethoscope or Doppler.
- No fetal movement or heartbeat seen on ultrasound, which makes the definitive diagnosis that a baby is stillborn. Other symptoms may or may not be linked to stillbirth.
A woman experiencing five or more stressful events was nearly 2.5 times more likely to have a stillbirth than a woman who had experienced none.
Can cord accidents be prevented? ›While many umbilical cord accidents are purely random (and, as such, cannot be prevented), there are often characteristic clues that suggest an accident may be possible.
How common is stillbirth after 35 weeks? ›At 37 weeks, the risk of stillbirth was roughly 1 for every 10,000 pregnancies, the study found. This risk steadily rose, reaching roughly 32 stillbirths for every 10,000 pregnancies by 42 weeks.
How can I prevent my baby from stillbirth? ›- Go to all your antenatal appointments. ...
- Eat healthily and keep active. ...
- Stop smoking. ...
- Avoid alcohol in pregnancy. ...
- Go to sleep on your side. ...
- Tell your midwife about any drug use. ...
- Have the flu jab.
These include: not smoking. avoiding alcohol and drugs during pregnancy – as well as increasing the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth, these can seriously affect your baby's development. attending all your antenatal appointments so that midwives can monitor the growth and wellbeing of your baby.
What week do most stillbirths happen? ›At or after 40 weeks, the risk of stillbirth increases, especially for women 35 or older. Their risk, research shows, is doubled from 39 weeks to 40 and is more than six times as high at 42 weeks.