Stillbirth: Know The Causes, Symptoms & Prevention

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Stillbirths have become a common problem that are witnessed by a lot of modern women these days. This type of a pregnancy problem is the most painful for the expectant couple, as there are usually no alarming signs before a stillbirth.

The shock and grief upon learning that the baby being dead inside the womb is definitely a severe blow to the couple.

Today, Boldsky discusses some of the causes, symptoms and preventive tips for stillbirth.

So, what is stillbirth? When the baby inside the uterus dies after 20 weeks of pregnancy, it is termed as a stillbirth.

According to experts, a pregnant woman can also have a miscarriage any time before the 20th week; therefore, she needs to be careful when it comes to managing her pregnancy period.

It is common sense that when pregnant, the woman needs to be gentle and alert in her surroundings. A minor accident or being careless can lead to a lot of pregnancy-related complications, which includes stillbirth and miscarriages.

Hence, given below are some of the causes, symptoms and preventive tips of a stillbirth that every pregnant woman must be aware of, do have a look:

Causes
The underlying reasons or causes for a stillbirth could be due to family history of stillbirth, minor or major accidents, poor foetal growth pattern inside the uterus, infections like listeriosis, syphilis that is transferred from the mother to the foetus and knot in the umbilical cord cutting off oxygen to the growing baby. Another reason for stillbirth inside the womb is mothers with a history of smoking, alcohol and drug abuse.

There are other complications that cause a stillbirth and in today's world, mothers who undertake the IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) and those who have late pregnancies (post 40) are prone to having a stillbirth pregnancy.

Symptoms
Though the symptoms of stillbirth are not very clear, it is necessary and important to rush the pregnant mother to the hospital if she has unbearable abdominal cramps along with vaginal bleeding.

Doctors also state that if you experience stillness inside the womb with reduced kick counts from your baby after 28 weeks, it is a red alert.

On the other hand, tenderness in the uterine region is something that you should not ignore as well, as it could be another symptom of a stillbirth.

Prevention

• Pregnant women should consume a prescribed amount of folic acid every day. According to doctors, 400 mg is sufficient.
• It is necessary for the mother to maintain a well-balanced diet every day, alongside a good lifestyle.
• Say no to things that can harm the baby. Get rid of the cigarette butt, the coloured water (alcohol) and the high-intensity drugs.
• Your weight too is important. Maintain a healthy weight, according to your height, if you want to have a healthy and safe pregnancy.
• Consuming prenatal foetal medicine prescribed in case of stillbirth due to chromosomal abnormalities can also help in preventing a stillbirth.