About 1 in every 160 pregnancies end in stillbirth. This number is about 59% higher than the expected rate according to public health goals set for 2010. You are also at a greater risk if you are African-American or Hispanic, even when prenatal care is adjusted to be the same. And no matter what the numbers are, if it's you or your friends, it's way too high.
For many years we had trouble finding out what caused stillbirths. The majority, even using autopsy and other testing, were of unknown origin. This left grieving families with little to go on in the way of answers and about how best to make decisions going forward, particularly when it came to planning for a new pregnancy.
Some recent research says that we're getting better at figuring out what causes stillbirth, with the majority now being able to have a listed cause. Among the most common causes of stillbirth are, in descending order:
You'll notice that maternal conditions and hypertension are listed at the bottom. While these are lower in ranking and therefore, smaller in number, you'll still see quite the stir. I think this is because it's easier to address some of these issues as they may be related to diseases or situations that we can identify before pregnancy, including the often discussed obesity. But it is unfair for headlines to scream that obesity is causing the majority of stillbirths. Certainly, all mothers with any risk factor should be counseled on how to have the best outcome possible and realize that having a risk factor is not the same thing as being certain that you will have a bad outcome or stillbirth.
I'd really like to see us focus on healthy pregnancies and lives in general for all women. This will help address some of the stillbirth rates and also help women learn positive behaviors to pass on to their children.
What's your take on the data?
Related:
Sources:
The Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network Writing Group. (2011). Association Between Stillbirth and Risk Factors Known at Pregnancy Confirmation. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 306(22), 2469-2479. doi: 10.1001/jama.2011.1798
The Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network Writing Group. (2011). Causes of Death Among Stillbirths. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 306(22), 2459-2468. doi: 10.1001/jama.2011.1823
What Causes Stillbirth? originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Saturday, December 17th, 2011 at 10:10:09.
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