Stillbirth refers to the death of a fetus at or after the 20th week of pregnancy.
There are many causes of stillbirth, ranging from birth defects to problems with the pregnancy. Often, health care providers cannot determine a specific cause for a particular stillbirth.
NICHD supports research on many of the causes of stillbirth, its occurrence in populations, risk factors, and ways to prevent it from happening.
General Information
About Stillbirth
The definition of a stillbirth varies among countries. In the United States, a stillbirth is generally defined as the death of a fetus at or after the 20th week of pregnancy.
How common is stillbirth?
For every 1,000 pregnancies that reach the 20th week, about 6 of them ended in stillbirth.
What are the risk factors for stillbirth?
Stillbirth can happen in any pregnancy. Even after a thorough investigation, a probable or possible cause of stillbirth may not be found.
What are possible causes of stillbirth?
Many factors can cause or contribute to stillbirth. Some of those include problems with the placenta, infection, birth defects, high blood pressure disorders, and other medical complications.
How is stillbirth diagnosed?
Before birth, the only way to know for sure whether a stillbirth has occurred is to determine if the fetus’s heart is beating.
How do health care providers manage stillbirth?
After a stillbirth, health care providers will try to determine why the fetus died and help the family cope with their loss.
Research
NICHD Research Information
NICHD conducts and supports research on stillbirth that seeks to improve health outcomes associated with pregnancy, birth, and early infancy.
Find a Study
Find a Study on Stillbirth
NICHD conducts and supports a variety of clinical research related to stillbirth.
More Information
Other FAQs
Find answers to other common questions about stillbirth, such as how safe it is to have another baby, the likelihood of having another stillbirth, and precautions to take in future pregnancies.
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