User:Mr. Ibrahem/Stillbirth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stillbirth is typically defined as fetal death at or after 20 or 28 weeks of pregnancy, depending on the source.[1][2] It results in a baby born without signs of life.[2] A stillbirth can result in the feeling of guilt or grief in the mother.[7] The term is in contrast to miscarriage, which is an early pregnancy loss, and live birth, where the baby is born alive, even if it dies shortly after.[7]
Stillbirth | |
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Other names | Fetal death, fetal demise[1] |
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Ultrasound is often used to diagnose stillbirth and medical conditions that raise the risk. | |
Medical specialty | Obstetrics |
Symptoms | Fetal death at or after 20 / 28 weeks of pregnancy[1][2] |
Causes | Often unknown, pregnancy complications[1][2][3] |
Risk factors | Mother's age over 35, smoking, drug use, use of assisted reproductive technology, first pregancy[4] |
Diagnostic method | No fetal movement felt, ultrasound[5] |
Treatment | Induction of labor, dilation and evacuation[6] |
Frequency | 2.6 million (1 for every 45 births)[2] |
Often the cause is unknown.[1] Causes may include pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia and birth complications, problems with the placenta or umbilical cord, birth defects, infections such as malaria and syphilis, and poor health in the mother.[2][3][8] Risk factors include a mother's age over 35, smoking, drug use, use of assisted reproductive technology, and first pregnancy.[4] Stillbirth may be suspected when no fetal movement is felt.[5] Confirmation is by ultrasound.[5]
Worldwide prevention of most stillbirths is possible with improved health systems.[2][9] About half of stillbirths occur during childbirth, with this being more common in the developing than developed world.[2] Otherwise, depending on how far along the pregnancy is, medications may be used to start labor or a type of surgery known as dilation and evacuation may be carried out.[6] Following a stillbirth, women are at higher risk of another one; however, most subsequent pregnancies do not have similar problems.[10] Depression, financial loss, and family breakdown are known complications.[9]
Worldwide in 2015 there were about 2.6 million stillbirths that occurred after 28 weeks of pregnancy (about 1 for every 45 births).[2][11] They occur most commonly in the developing world, particularly South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.[2] In the United States for every 167 births there is one stillbirth.[11] Stillbirth rates have declined, though more slowly since the 2000s.[12]