Stillbirth is the death of a baby before or during delivery. Warning signs may include bleeding or spotting. When the baby is in the womb, doctors use an ultrasound to determine if the heart is beating.
A stillbirth is the death of a fetus in the uterus after week 20 of pregnancy. The reasons go unexplained for 1 in 3 cases. The rest may be caused by problems with the placenta or umbilical cord, high blood pressure, infections, birth defects, or lifestyle choices.
A late stillbirth occurs between 28 and 36 completed pregnancy weeks. A term stillbirth occurs between 37 or more completed pregnancy weeks.
About one-half of these stillbirths took place at 28 weeks of pregnancy or later. The rate of stillbirths in the United States has been dropping since CDC began collecting data in 1950. For every 1,000 pregnancies that reached the 20th week during that year, more than 18 ended in stillbirth.
Research has shown that in the third trimester (after 28 weeks of pregnancy) going to sleep on your back increases your risk of stillbirth. As the link has now been shown in four separate research trials, our advice is to go to sleep on your side in the third trimester because it is safer for your baby.
The test used to check for a fetal demise in the second trimester is an ultrasound examination to see if the baby is moving and growing.
Previous studies have shown that maternal factors alone can predict about 16% of all stillbirths at a 5% FPR, and that the addition of screening tests and biomarkers can improve the prediction rate to one third of all stillbirths at the end of first trimester and to nearly half of all stillbirths at the end of second ...
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.
Dr. Zanotti reassures expectant mothers not to stress if they accidentally find themselves on their backs for a brief spell. “We do know that short periods of time ― even if you were on your back for an hour or two ― probably do no harm to your child,” she says.
About half of all stillbirths happen after 28 weeks of pregnancy; many remain unexplained. Rates are even worse in low-income countries, but the U.S. stillbirth rate is higher than that of many other Western countries.
Many physicians advise pregnant women to sleep on their left side. Previous studies have linked back and right-side sleeping with a higher risk of stillbirth, reduced fetal growth, low birth weight, and preeclampsia, a life-threatening high blood pressure disorder that affects the mother.
If you are pregnant and working, you may want to reduce or avoid: Stooping, bending, or squatting often. Lifting heavy objects from the floor or any location that requires you to bend or reach. Lifting overhead or reaching.
In the second and third trimesters, lying on your back may compress a major blood vessel that takes blood to your uterus, making you feel dizzy and possibly reducing blood flow to your fetus. Sleeping on your side during your second and third trimesters may be best.
Many families are affected by stillbirth, which is the loss of a baby at or after 20 weeks of pregnancy. A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that Black mothers were more than twice as likely to experience stillbirth compared to Hispanic and white mothers.
When lying on your back, that added weight can put pressure on your inferior vena cava, a major vein leading back to your heart. That has the potential to partially disrupt blood flow, and that's why it's advised to avoid lying on your back for extended periods of time.
Back sleeping is no longer safe after 28 weeks gestation, but there are a few other comfortable positions for you to safely doze in.
When you lie on your back, the weight of your uterus can compress a major blood vessel that runs down near your spine called the vena cava. The theory is that compressing the vena cava can disrupt blood flow to your baby, so in general, most doctors recommend avoiding compressing the blood vessel while you sleep.
You should start to feel your baby move between around 16 to 24 weeks of pregnancy. If this is your first baby, you might not feel movements until after 20 weeks. If you have not felt your baby move by 24 weeks, tell your midwife.
It is more common for women having their second or subsequent pregnancies to feel their baby move earlier. If you have not felt your baby move by 24 weeks, you should contact your doctor or midwife.
Yes, it's normal to feel your baby on and off. It may sometimes feel like it's been a few days since you felt a movement. Once quickening turns to strong kicks and wiggles, your baby's movements will become more regular and consistent.