Stillbirth

Overview :

It is important to distinguish between a stillbirth and other words that describe the unintentional end of a pregnancy. A pregnancy that ends before the twentieth week is called a miscarriage rather than a stillbirth, even though the death of the fetus is a common cause of miscarriage. After the twentieth week, the unintended end of a pregnancy is called a stillbirth if the infant is dead at birth and premature delivery if it is born alive.

Factors that increase a mother's risk of stillbirth include: age over 35, malnutrition, inadequate prenatal care, smoking, and alcohol or drug abuse.