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Stillbirth

Definition

A stillbirth is when a fetus that was expected to survive dies during birth or during the late stages of pregnancy.

Information

Stillbirth can be caused by the following:

Birth defects
Illnesses
Infections
Injuries
Sudden severe blood loss (hemorrhage) in the mother or fetus
Stopping of the heartbeat (cardiac arrest) in the mother or fetus
Uterine problems (placental detachment, poor placental function, or intrauterine growth restriction)

Review Date: 8/17/2007
Reviewed By: Melanie N. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hosptial, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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