Higher stillbirth risk for women who have lost a baby

Parent who have lost a baby within the first year of that baby’s life may run a higher risk of stillbirth with their next pregnancy. Stillbirth is defined as the death of baby at 20 weeks of gestation. Previous research has shown that women who experienced stillbirth were more likely to suffer it again in subsequent pregnancies. The new data is suggesting that early infant death may also be an indicator of increased risk.

The data indicates that among 320,000 women the stillbirth risk is four per 1000 births. However, in women who had experienced the death of a child before the child’s first birthday, the risk was four times as much. It’s not clear why this happens. Stillbirth itself is often a mystery with more than half having no medical explanation.

“What we’re trying to do is, look at women’s history and see if we can identify mothers who are likely to be at higher risk of stillbirth,” said Dr. Hamisu Salihu, a professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa who contributed to the study.

Couples who have lost a baby or experienced a stillbirth need to talk to their doctor about those experiences. The pregnancy needs to be monitored. Some risks can be averted, like quitting smoking and eating a healthy diet. High blood pressure and diabetes can also be a factor in a high risk pregnancy and steps need to be taken early to ensure these conditions do not interfere with the development of the baby. More frequent visits to the doctor may be necessary.

Source: Reuters