Stillbirth: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
During pregnancy, there are various health problems that can happen to your little one, one of them stillbirth or the baby is stillborn. Stillbirth or intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) is a serious problem that prospective parents need to understand. The following is a complete explanation, starting from the meaning, signs, causes, to how to prevent it.
What is stillbirth?
Stillbirth or intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) is a condition when a baby dies in the womb or after birth.
This condition generally occurs after 20 weeks of gestation. Meanwhile, infant death before the 20th week of pregnancy is considered a miscarriage.
Based on regulation WHO, a stillborn baby is a baby born without signs of life at 28 weeks’ gestation or more.
WHO divides according to gestational period, classification of conditions Intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) a is:
- Gestational age 20 to 27 weeks: stillbirth early (early stillbirth)
- Gestational age 28 to 36 weeks: stillbirth end (late stillbirth)
- After 37 weeks: stillbirth
Having a healthy baby in the next pregnancy is something that is possible for most women who have experienced it stillbirth.
If the cause of the baby dying after birth is a certain chromosome problem or umbilical cord problem, the chances of the stillbirth occurring again are low.
Meanwhile, if the cause stillbirth is a chronic disease of the mother or genetic disorders in the parents, the risk is much higher.
How common is stillbirth?
Still quoting from the WHO, in 2015, the number of babies dying in the womb globally was 2.6 million.
Meanwhile, the number of deaths is 7,178 per day. The majority of these conditions occur in developing countries.
Case Intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) that is 98 percent occurred in low and middle income countries.
Then, about half of all cases of babies dying in the womb occur in the intrapartum period (during labor to birth).
This period is the time of greatest risk during pregnancy.
WHO estimates that the proportion of babies dying in intrapartum wombs varies from 10 percent in developed regions to 59 percent in South Asia.
A baby dying after birth is a condition that can happen to anyone.
This can be overcome by reducing risk factors. Consult a doctor for more information.
Stillbirth signs and symptoms
There are usually no signs of emergency before the death of the fetus in the womb occurs. However, the symptoms that may occur before the baby dies in the womb are as follows.
- Vaginal bleeding, especially during second trimester of pregnancy.
- Babies move less frequently, or disappear completely than usual.
There may be signs and symptoms of a dying in the womb that are not listed above.
If you have concerns about certain symptoms, consult your doctor.
Causes of Intrauterine fetal death (IUFD)
About 1 in 200 pregnancies can die before the baby is born at more than 20 weeks of gestation.
Not much different from the causes of miscarriage, cause intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) can be due to the condition of the mother or fetus.
The following are causes of babies dying in the womb or after birth.
1. Birth defects with or without chromosomal abnormalities
Quoting from March of Dimes, about 14 in 100 cases of stillbirths (14 percent) have the condition birth defects including genetic disorders conditions, such as down syndrome.
In addition, chromosomal abnormalities are responsible for 15-20 percent of all stillbirths.
Sometimes, stillbirths also have structural abnormalities that are not due to chromosomal abnormalities.
However, the causes can be genetic, environmental, and causes that parents do not know.
2. Problems with the umbilical cord
During childbirth, the baby’s umbilical cord can come out first before the baby comes out (umbilical cord prolapse).
As a result, it blocks the baby’s oxygen supply before the baby is able to breathe on its own.
Two incidents involving the umbilical cord are the cause of the baby dying in the womb. However, this is rarely the main cause of stillbirths.
3. Placenta problems
About 24 percent of problems with the placenta cause stillbirth. These placenta problems include:
- blood clots,
- inflammation,
- problems with blood vessels in the placenta, as well
- placental abruption (the placenta detaches from the uterine wall prematurely).
Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to develop placental abruption than women who do not smoke.
4. Maternal health condition
Stillbirths can occur because of health problems in the mother, such as:
High blood pressure or preeclampsia during pregnancy increases the risk of placental abruption or stillbirth two times greater.
5. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR)
IUGRmakes the fetus at high risk of nutritional deficiencies. Lack of these nutrients then disturbs the growth and development of the fetus.
The growth and development of a fetus that is very slow can increase the risk of stillbirth.
Babies who are small or do not grow for their age are at risk of dying from asphyxia or lack of oxygen before or during birth.
6. Infections during pregnancy that affect the mother, baby, or placenta
About 1 in 10 cases of stillbirth, the cause is infection. Some of the infections that can cause stillbirths are:
Some of these infections may be asymptomatic and go undiagnosed until the mother develops a more serious condition.
Some of the more serious conditions are premature birth or stillbirth.
Fator that increases the risk of stillbirth
Same asmiscarriage, stillbirths are certainly not the events that pregnant women want.
The following are things that increase the risk of pregnant women experiencing intrauterine fetal death (IUFD).
Consult your gynecologist if you have any of the risk factors above.
How is stillbirth diagnosed?
The doctor will check the fetal heart rate to confirm the condition of your little one, this examination uses doppler or an ultrasound scan.
If the baby dies in the womb and there is no risk to health, doctors will usually give pregnant women time to think about what you want to do next.
After that, the doctor will ask you to wait for the time of birth naturally, or birth with medication (induction).
If the health of the pregnant woman is at risk, the baby should be born as soon as possible.
Usually, how to remove a dead baby in the womb still uses normal delivery.
However, it could also be a caesarean section in certain conditions.
What are the treatments for stillbirth?
When a mother experiences a condition where the baby dies in the womb or after birth, it is important to give birth to the baby immediately.
Some mothers may be ready to receive induction right away to stimulate uterine contractions, so that they can give birth normally (vaginal).
This is a method that is often used to remove a dead baby in the womb.
If the mother’s cervix has not widened, the doctor will give medicine to the mother’s vagina to stimulate cervical dilation.
The mother will also receive an infusion of the hormone oxytocin to stimulate uterine contractions.
Some mothers with certain conditions should undergo a cesarean section, such as:
- The position of the baby is not normal (the baby’s head is not down near the cervix).
- The mother has or has had placental abnormalities.
- The baby is bigger than the size of the mother’s pelvis.
- Had a cesarean section in a previous pregnancy.
- Multiple pregnancy.
Doctors need to perform a cesarean section to avoid complications during delivery, such as bleeding.
Apart from the way giving birth normally or Caesarean section, the process of removing stillbirths can also be done by dilatation and curettage (D&C) or curettage.
The doctor will perform this procedure if the mother’s pregnancy is still in the second trimester.
Dilation and curettage have fewer complications than induction in an attempt to achieve a normal delivery.
How does the body respond after giving birth to a dead baby?
After giving birth, of course the body also needs time for the recovery process. The mother may need to receive several days of treatment in the hospital.
A few days after childbirth, the mother will feel full in the breasts because they have produced milk. This is a normal thing to happen.
Over time, the milk production will stop and the milk will disappear, but the breasts may feel sore and sore for a while.
In addition to physical recovery, you also definitely need emotional recovery. This may be a long process.
It is not easy to accept the fact that you have lost your baby.
At this time, you need support from those closest to you, especially your partner and family.
After experiencing a loss, some mothers usually have a strong urge to get pregnant again.
Some women may want to try getting pregnant again immediately, but it’s best to consult with a doctor first to prepare for a better pregnancy.
It’s best to know the causes of the condition stillbirth, so that it can prevent it in later pregnancy.
In some cases of stillborn babies, doctors cannot explain what causes it.
How to prevent stillbirth?
Quoting from Tommy’s, there are several ways pregnant women can prevent it stillbirth, that is:
Routinely monitor the baby’s movements
Starting at 16 weeks of age, you begin to feel the movements of the baby in the womb. Pregnant women can also know when the baby moves, for example at night or after lunch.
Monitor fetal movements every day, it is better to record every movement for you to give to the doctor during the consultation.
Sleep facing left during the 3rd trimester
When pregnant women sleep facing to the left during the third trimester, blood vessels will supply oxygen and blood to the fetus more smoothly.
When the distribution of oxygen and blood is smooth, the development of the fetus will be better during your rest.
Quit smoking
Cigarettes can inhibit the distribution of oxygen and nutrients from mother to fetus, which can trigger stillbirths.
If you are an active smoker, it is better to quit for the sake of the health of pregnant women and the fetus.
Maintain weight
If your BMI is more than 30, this is a sign that you are obese, which can lead to pregnancy complications. Usually, the doctor will ask you to keep your food intake when your body weight is too high.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
