If a woman loses a pregnancy after she's past her 20th week, it's called a stillbirth. Stillbirths are due to natural causes. They can happen before delivery or during delivery. Causes include:

• Problems with the placenta, the organ that transports oxygen and nutrients to the fetus
• Genetic problems with the fetus
• Fetal infections
• Other physical problems in the fetus

In at least half of all cases, it is not possible to tell why the baby died.

If stillbirth happens before delivery, your health care provider may induce labor or perform a Cesarean section to deliver the fetus. In some cases, you can wait until you go into labor yourself. This usually happens within two weeks of stillbirth.

Counseling may help you cope with your grief. Later, if you do decide to try again, work closely with your health care provider to lower the risks. Many women who have a stillbirth go on to have healthy babies.

The definition of a stillbirth varies between countries. In the United States, a stillbirth is generally defined as the death of a fetus at or after the 20th week of pregnancy.

Stillbirths can occur at different points during pregnancy:

• Before labor. Death can happen inside the womb, before labor begins. This kind of stillbirth is called an antepartum stillbirth. In the United States, most stillbirths occur before the start of labor.
• During labor. Death can also happen during labor. This is an intrapartum stillbirth. The causes of these stillbirths tend to be different than the causes of stillbirths before labor.

Sometimes fetal deaths and infant deaths in the first week or first months of life are grouped together, even though they may occur at different times. When these deaths are looked at together, they are called perinatal (pronounced per-uh-NEYT-l) deaths, meaning “around the time of birth.” This is because some of the same problems and risks can lead to a death either before or just after birth.

The death of a fetus before the 20th week of pregnancy is usually called a miscarriage or pregnancy loss.

The loss of a baby due to stillbirth remains a sad reality for many families and takes a serious toll on families’ health and well-being. Learn more about stillbirth below.

A stillbirth is the death or loss of a baby before or during delivery. Both miscarriage and stillbirth describe pregnancy loss, but they differ according to when the loss occurs. In the United States, a miscarriage is usually defined as loss of a baby before the 20th week of pregnancy, and a stillbirth is loss of a baby after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Stillbirth is further classified as either early, late, or term.

• An early stillbirth is a fetal death occurring between 20 and 27 completed weeks of pregnancy.
• A late stillbirth occurs between 28 and 36 completed pregnancy weeks.
• A term stillbirth occurs between 37 or more completed pregnancy weeks..

How Many Babies Are Stillborn?

Stillbirth affects about 1 in 100 pregnancies, and each year about 24,000 babies are stillborn in the United States. That is about the same number of babies that die during the first year of life and it is more than 10 times as many deaths as the number that occur from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Because of advances in medical technology over the last 30 years, prenatal care (medical care during pregnancy) has improved, which has dramatically reduced the number of late and term stillbirth. However, the rate of early stillbirth has remained about the same over time.

What Increases the Risk of Stillbirth?

Stillbirth with an unknown cause is called “unexplained stillbirth.” Having an unexplained stillbirth is more likely to occur the further along a woman is in her pregnancy. Having an autopsy on the baby and other laboratory tests is important in trying to understand why the baby died before birth. Your health care provider can share more information about this.

Stillbirth occurs in families of all races, ethnicities, and income levels, and to women of all ages. However, stillbirth occurs more commonly among certain groups of people including women who:

• are of black race
• are 35 years of age or older
• are of low socioeconomic status
• smoke cigarettes during pregnancy
• have certain medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity
• have multiple pregnancies such as triplets or quadruplets
• have had a previous pregnancy loss

This does not mean that every individual of black race or older age is at higher risk for having a stillbirth. It simply means that overall as a group, more stillbirths occur among all mothers of black race or older age when compared to white mothers and mothers under 35 years of age. Differences in factors such as maternal health, income, access to quality health care, stress, social and emotional support resources and cultural factors may explain how these factors are related to having a stillbirth. More research is needed to determine the underlying cause of stillbirths in these populations.

These factors are also associated with other poor pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth.

What can be done?

CDC works to learn more about who might have a stillbirth and why. CDC does this by tracking how often stillbirth occurs and researching what causes stillbirth and how to prevent it. Knowledge about the potential causes of stillbirth can be used to develop recommendations, policies, and services to help prevent stillbirth. While we continue to learn more about stillbirth, much work remains.

The loss of a baby during pregnancy remains a sad reality for many families. Learn what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is doing to understand the preventable causes of stillbirth. Read Milan’s story, as told by his mother Karina, about their family’s experience with the loss of a child through stillbirth.

What is Stillbirth?

A stillbirth is the death of a baby before or during delivery. Both miscarriage and stillbirth describe pregnancy loss, but they differ according to when the loss occurs. In the United States, a miscarriage is usually defined as loss of a baby before the 20th week of pregnancy, and a stillbirth is loss of a baby at 20 weeks of pregnancy and later.

How Many Babies Are Stillborn?

About 1 pregnancy in 100 at 20 weeks of pregnancy and later is affected by stillbirth, and each year about 24,000 babies are stillborn in the United States.

Milan’s Story

Karina was 39 weeks pregnant, expecting to give birth to her baby Milan.

Karina was healthy throughout her pregnancy. She saw a doctor regularly and did all of the normal testing and ultrasounds. Both the doctor and head midwife thought everything was fine.

During a check-up, one of Karina’s midwives listened for Milan’s heartbeat. Karina was in a room with her two midwives, her husband, a nurse, and an ultrasound technician. It was quiet as they listened for a heartbeat. They could not hear anything. Her husband and healthcare providers sat with Karina as she cried. Karina was 39 weeks pregnant when she learned that her baby had died. Karina was scared, but she knew that she had to deliver the baby or she risked her own life as well.

Karina was induced and she gave birth at home. She was grateful to give birth at home with people who loved her and treated her with great kindness.
Karina and her husband went on to have another child, named Phoenix, who gives their family great joy.

CDC thanks Karina and her family for sharing this personal story.

What Can Be Done?

The causes of many stillbirths are unknown. Stillbirth occurs in families of all races, ethnicities, and income levels, and to women of all ages. But there are things that a woman can do before and during pregnancy to increase her chance of having a healthy baby:

• Be sure that medical conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, are under control before and during pregnancy.
• Avoid smoking cigarettes during pregnancy.
• Strive to reach and maintain a healthy weight before pregnancy.

CDC works to learn more about who might have a stillbirth and why. CDC tracks how often stillbirth occurs and looks at the causes of stillbirth. Knowledge about the potential causes of stillbirth can be used to create recommendations, policies, and services to help prevent stillbirth.

Stillbirths in the United States

In 2006, the most recent year for which U.S. data are available, 1 out of every 167 pregnancies that made it to the 20th week ended with the death of the fetus before birth (that is, stillbirth before delivery). This translates to a total of nearly 26,000 deaths. About one-half of these stillbirths took place at 28 weeks of pregnancy or later.

The rate of stillbirths in the United States has been dropping since CDC began collecting data in 1950. For every 1,000 pregnancies that reached the 20th week during that year, more than 18 ended in stillbirth. The most recent data, collected in 2006, show that the rate has dropped to only about 6 stillbirths per 1,000 pregnancies that reached the 20th week.

In the United States, there are similar numbers of stillbirth deaths and deaths of infants during their first year of life. That is, about one-half of all deaths between 20 weeks of pregnancy and the first birthday occur before delivery.

On average, the U.S. stillbirth rate has been going down. For example, in 1985, almost 1 of every 127 pregnancies that made it to week 20 ended as a stillbirth before delivery;1 in 1950, the rate was about 1 of every 53 such pregnancies.

Stillbirths are more than twice as likely in the pregnancies of Black women than in the pregnancies of White women in the United States.

Stillbirths Worldwide

Using the World Health Organization definition for stillbirth, which counts stillbirths only from 28 weeks of pregnancy, there were 2,600,000 stillbirths around the world in 2009, the most recent year for which worldwide data on stillbirth are available. This translates to an average of about one stillbirth at or after 28 weeks for every 45 births in 2009.

The stillbirth rate is highest in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa (about 1 stillbirth at the 28th week of pregnancy or later per 33 births). The rate is lowest in high-income countries—fewer than 1 per 250 births.

Stillbirth can happen in any pregnancy. Even after a thorough investigation, a probable or possible cause of stillbirth may not be found.

Even though there are certain risk factors for stillbirth, most individual stillbirths in the United States are not linked to any known risk factors that the woman has at the time she learns she is pregnant.

Risks for Stillbirth in High-Income Countries

Studies have found many factors that increase risk for stillbirths in the United States and other high-income countries.

There are several types of factors, such as:

Maternal Characteristics

• Low socioeconomic status
• Older age (older than age 35)
• Smoking tobacco or marijuana during or just before pregnancy, or exposure to secondhand smoke during pregnancy
• Using illegal drugs before or during pregnancy

Maternal Medical Conditions

• Being overweight or obese
• Diabetes before pregnancy
• High blood pressure before pregnancy

Maternal Reproductive History

• Never having given birth before
• Previous stillbirth or small for gestational age infant
• Pregnancy with twins, triplets, or other multiples
• Assisted reproductive technology

Fetal Characteristics

• Small size in the fetus, given its age (sometimes called small for gestational age [SGA]). SGA can sometimes be due to growth restriction, a risky condition in which there is a problem with the pregnancy that prevents the fetus from growing as well as it could otherwise.

Risks for Stillbirth in Resource-Limited Countries

In developing countries, lack of access to obstetrical care contributes to high stillbirth rates. Most stillbirths in the developing world result from long and difficult labor, preeclampsia, and infections.

A study conducted by the Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health Research (funded by NICHD and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) showed that providing basic newborn care training to birth attendants in low-income countries makes the stillbirth rate plummet.

As a result of the intervention, the rate of stillbirths dropped from 1 per every 43 deliveries to about 1 per 63 deliveries. The researchers believed this improvement was due to an increase in babies being resuscitated if they were not breathing at birth—a common problem that an untrained birth attendant might classify as a stillbirth. However, trained birth attendants can treat this problem using resuscitation techniques, including rubbing the newborn’s back.

In addition to risk factors that can increase the likelihood of a stillbirth, there are also factors that can cause or contribute to stillbirth. Remember, though, that in some cases of stillbirth, the cause of death remains unknown even after extensive testing.

To learn more about the possible causes of and contributors to stillbirth, the NICHD-supported Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network (SCRN) examined more than 500 stillbirths that occurred in 59 medical centers around the United States over 2½ years. In almost one-quarter of these cases, the researchers could not determine a probable or even a possible cause of death. Also, many of the stillbirths had more than one likely cause.

The likely causes of and contributors to stillbirth identified by the study are listed below in order from most common to least common:

• Pregnancy and labor complications. Problems with the pregnancy likely caused almost one in three stillbirths. These complications included preterm labor, pregnancy with twins or triplets, and the separation of the placenta from the womb (also called “placental abruption;” the placenta provides nutrients and oxygen to the fetus). Pregnancy and labor complications were more common causes of stillbirths before week 24.
• Problems with the placenta. Almost one in four stillbirths were likely caused by problems with the placenta. One example of a placental problem that causes stillbirth is insufficient blood flow to the placenta. In the SCRN study, placental problems were the leading cause of stillbirths that took place before birth, and these deaths tended to occur after 24 weeks of pregnancy.
• Birth defects. In more than 1 of every 10 stillbirths, the fetus had a genetic or structural birth defect that probably or possibly caused the death.
• Infection. In more than 1 of every 10 stillbirths, the death was likely caused either by an infection in the fetus or in the placenta, or by a serious infection in the mother. Infections were a more common cause of death in stillbirths before week 24 than in those after.
• Problems with the umbilical cord. Problems with the umbilical cord were considered a probable or possible cause of about 1 in 10 stillbirths. For example, the cord can get knotted or squeezed, cutting off oxygen to the developing fetus. This cause of stillbirth tends to occur more toward the end of pregnancy.
• High blood pressure disorders. High blood pressure in the mother—whether due to chronic high blood pressure or to preeclampsia—also contributed to stillbirths. These types of stillbirths were more common in the end of the second trimester and the beginning of the third, compared with other parts of pregnancy.
• Medical complications in the mother. Problems with the mother’s health—such as diabetes—were considered a probable or possible cause in fewer than 1 in 10 of the stillbirths.

This research also showed that:

• Women who experienced financial, emotional, or other personal stress in the year before their delivery had an increased chance of having a stillbirth.
• Smoking tobacco or marijuana, taking prescription painkillers, or using illegal drugs during pregnancy is associated with double or even triple the risk of stillbirth.

Racial Disparities in Stillbirth

In the United States, stillbirths are more than twice as likely among Black women than among White women. However, the reasons for this are not entirely clear.

The SCRN study found that the most common causes of stillbirth were different for Black women than for White women. Compared with stillbirths experienced by White women and Hispanic women, stillbirths to non-Hispanic Black women tended to be caused by infection or by complications of pregnancy and labor. Also, in Black women, stillbirth was more likely to occur during (rather than before) labor and earlier than 24 weeks into the pregnancy.

As mentioned above, SCRN research found that stillbirth was more than twice as likely among women who had experienced major financial, emotional, traumatic, or partner-related events in the year before delivery than among women who had not. Black women were more likely than women in general to have experienced at least three such stressful events in the past year.

Many families are affected by stillbirth, which is the loss of a baby at or after 20 weeks of pregnancy. A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that Black mothers were more than twice as likely to experience stillbirth compared to Hispanic and white mothers. While the full reason for these racial disparities is not clear, differences in health problems that occur during pregnancy or underlying health conditions may be linked to these differences. Improvements in women’s health, with regular access to quality prenatal care, can potentially reduce the risk of stillbirth for women and families.

Main Findings

• During 2015-2017, 1 in every 166 pregnancies ended in stillbirth in the United States.
• Almost 1 in 3 stillbirths did not have a cause specified.
• Stillbirth rates were higher in the southern United States.
• Black mothers were more than twice as likely to experience a stillbirth compared to Hispanic and white mothers.
• Health problems that occurred during pregnancy or underlying health conditions were listed as the cause of the stillbirth three times more often among Black mothers than among white mothers.
• Improvements in women’s health, with regular access to quality prenatal care, can potentially reduce the risk of stillbirth for women and families.
• Trained healthcare professionals can be a great resource for mothers and families during the grieving process. Grief counseling can help mothers and families cope with loss.

About This Study

CDC scientists looked at information from 2015-2017 Fetal Death Data Files and birth certificates provided by the National Vital Statistics System, which represented the most current data at the time of analysis.

About Stillbirth

A stillbirth is the death or loss of a baby before or during delivery. Both miscarriage and stillbirth describe pregnancy loss, but they differ according to when the loss occurs. In the United States, a miscarriage is usually defined as loss of a baby before the 20th week of pregnancy, and a stillbirth is loss of a baby after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

A pregnant mother may suspect stillbirth if she stops feeling the fetus kick or make other active movements inside her womb. But not feeling movement does not mean stillbirth in all cases.

Before birth, the only way to know for sure whether a stillbirth has occurred is to determine if the fetus’s heart is beating. This is often done using ultrasound, a type of imaging that projects harmless sound waves through the mother’s body to create an image.

After birth, the infant is considered stillborn if he or she has “no signs of life,” which means the infant:

• Is not breathing
• Has no heartbeat
• Has no pulsations in the umbilical cord, and
• Does not make voluntary movements

After a stillbirth, health care providers will try to determine why the fetus died and help the family cope with their loss.

Later on, if the family wants to try for another pregnancy, providers can help the mother understand and change any problems that might increase her risk of another stillbirth.

Delivering the Fetus

If health care providers determine that the fetus has died while it is still in the womb, the next step is to deliver it. In general, this does not have to happen right away. Some parents might need time to cope with the news of their loss or to make arrangements. Others might prefer to complete the process as soon as possible.

Depending on how far along the pregnancy is and other considerations, health care providers usually will use one of these two methods to deliver the fetus:

• Induction. Providers will give the mother medicine to start labor. This method is used more often later in pregnancy.
• Dilation and evacuation. In this surgical procedure, providers first help the woman’s cervix open, or dilate. After about a day, the cervix will have opened and providers give the woman a medicine to keep her from feeling pain. Then, they insert instruments through the vagina and cervix into the womb to remove the fetus, the placenta, and other pregnancy material. Dilation and evacuation is only an option in the second trimester.

Examining the Fetus

After a stillbirth, it is important for providers to examine the body closely. Figuring out why the stillbirth occurred, if possible, can help providers and parents understand any risks that might affect future pregnancies.

Health care providers might examine a stillborn baby in three main ways:

• Inspecting the exterior of the fetus, placenta, and tissues. First, providers will examine the body and the tissues that surrounded and nourished the fetus inside the womb. This examination can reveal problems that could have caused or contributed to the death. They may weigh and measure the body and placenta to look for any growth problems. The health care provider might also photograph certain parts of the body or the placenta to put in the medical record or to show to a specialist.
• Examining individual cells and genetic material. Health care providers may ask parents’ permission to take samples of tissues from the body, the fluid that surrounded it in the womb (amniotic fluid), the placenta, and the umbilical cord. A laboratory will examine these samples for problems with cells, chromosomes, and DNA that could have caused or contributed to the death.
• Autopsy. Health care providers may ask parents’ permission to do an autopsy. (If providers do not bring it up, parents can also ask for an autopsy.) An autopsy involves opening up parts of the body to look for problems with the brain, heart, or other organs.

If parents prefer not to do an autopsy, the provider might ask for permission to take X-rays or conduct another type of imaging that shows inside the body. Imaging can help find the cause of death.

Managing Risk Factors

In many cases of stillbirth, there are no obvious risk factors. If there are factors that might increase the risk of another stillbirth in the future, and if the mother wants to have another child, she can work together with her providers to attempt to control the risks before getting pregnant again.

Coping with Grief

Losing a baby to stillbirth can be a difficult experience for a family. Health care providers may offer ways to help parents come to terms with the death. Providers may also refer parents to a support group, religious leader, or counselor for help. Read more about coping with grief after stillbirth.

There is no one right way to cope with the loss of a baby. Every person and every culture deals with death in a different way.

Many people find it helpful to talk with other families that have suffered a similar loss. Parents who have lost a child to stillbirth may also want to discuss their feelings with their health care provider or see a professional counselor who can help them process their feelings.

Pregnancy loss is a harsh reality faced by many expecting couples. If you have lost your baby, you know how devastating and painful this loss can be. You might wonder if you'll ever have a baby to hold and call your own. But surviving the emotional impact of pregnancy loss is possible. And many women go on to have successful pregnancies.

Why pregnancy loss happens

As many as 10 to 15 percent of confirmed pregnancies are lost. The true percentage of pregnancy losses might even be higher as many take place before a woman even knows that she is pregnant. Most losses occur very early on — before eight weeks. Pregnancy that ends before 20 weeks is called miscarriage. Miscarriage usually happens because of genetic problems in the fetus. Sometimes, problems with the uterus or cervix might play a role in miscarriage. Health problems, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, might also be a factor.

After 20 weeks, losing a pregnancy is called stillbirth. Stillbirth is much less common. Some reasons stillbirth occur include problems with placenta, genetic problems in the fetus, poor fetal growth, and infections. Almost half of the time, the reason for stillbirth is not known.

Coping with loss

After the loss, you might be stunned or shocked. You might be asking, "Why me?" You might feel guilty that you did or didn't do something to cause your pregnancy to end. You might feel cheated and angry. Or you might feel extremely sad as you come to terms with the baby that will never be. These emotions are all normal reactions to loss. With time, you will be able to accept the loss and move on. You will never forget your baby. But you will be able to put this chapter behind you and look forward to life ahead. To help get you through this difficult time, try some of these ideas:

• Turn to loved ones and friends for support. Share your feelings and ask for help when you need it.
• Talk to your partner about your loss. Keep in mind that men and women cope with loss in different ways.
• Take care of yourself. Eating healthy foods, keeping active, and getting enough sleep will help restore energy and well-being.
• Join a support group. A support group might help you to feel less alone.
• Do something in remembrance of your baby.
• Seek help from a grief counselor, especially if your grief doesn't ease with time.

Trying again

Give yourself plenty of time to heal emotionally. It could take a few months or even a year. Once you and your partner are emotionally ready to try again, confirm with your doctor that you are in good physical health and that your body is ready for pregnancy. Following a miscarriage, most healthy women do not need to wait before trying to conceive again. You might worry that pregnancy loss could happen again. But take heart in knowing that most women who have gone through pregnancy loss go on to have healthy babies.

The loss of a baby due to stillbirth remains a sad reality for many families and takes a serious toll on families’ health and well-being. Read Miranda’s story about the loss of her son Adrian through stillbirth.

My son Adrian was stillborn at the end of a full-term pregnancy (40 weeks of pregnancy) due to complications from undiagnosed preeclampsia. Preeclampsia happens when a woman who previously had normal blood pressure suddenly develops high blood pressure and protein in her urine or other problems after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Preeclampsia symptoms can vary; my blood pressure was only slightly higher than it should have been and I didn’t have protein in my urine.

We had a fairly “textbook” pregnancy, only complicated by intense swelling in my ankles and some lower back pain. I started developing additional symptoms of preeclampsia (headache, nausea, pain in the upper stomach area, swelling of my face and hands) in my ninth month of pregnancy. But my symptoms were so minor that my healthcare providers did not make the connection to preeclampsia.

Talk to Your Healthcare Provider About Any Concerns You May Have!

You know your body best. If you experience something that seems unusual or is worrying you, don’t ignore it. If you’re pregnant or gave birth within the last year, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about anything that doesn’t feel right.

I was 35 years old during my pregnancy. My providers recommended I be induced at 39 weeks pregnant due to my age. No one mentioned the risk of stillbirth, and none of my providers seemed concerned about my symptoms, so I declined the induction. I wanted my baby to come in his own time. The night before I hit my 41st week of pregnancy, I went to bed with my son actively kicking in my belly. By the time I woke up the following morning, he was dead.

I wish I had known stillbirth is as common as it is. I wish I had known that having multiple symptoms of preeclampsia was a big deal. I wish my providers had explained this to me or had been more concerned. But most of all, I wish more people talked about stillbirth. Stillbirth affects 1 in 160 pregnancies. That’s an enormous number. Stillbirth is so much more than the statistics; it’s a life-changing experience. My son should be here, and he isn’t. And that will affect me for the rest of my life.

CDC would like to thank Miranda for sharing her family’s story.

Is it safe to have another baby after a stillbirth?

Some families decide that they want to have another baby in the future despite the difficult experience of a stillbirth. Most women who get pregnant after stillbirth go on to give birth to healthy babies.

It is best to discuss the situation with a health care provider to understand any risks and concerns. If a family does decide to try to have another baby, the health care provider may take certain precautions to help minimize risk.

Does having one stillbirth increase the risk of another stillbirth?

Yes. On average, women who have one stillbirth are two to 10 times more likely to have another stillbirth than are women who have not had a stillbirth. Nonetheless, most women who get pregnant again after a stillbirth deliver a live, healthy baby. Increased risk depends on several factors:

• Race. On average, African American mothers who have experienced stillbirth are at higher risk for future stillbirth than are White mothers who have experienced stillbirth.
• Cause of the prior stillbirth. The specific cause of the prior stillbirth may affect the risk to future pregnancies. For example:
  • If the prior stillbirth resulted from a birth defect, future pregnancies may also be at risk for that birth defect and the same outcome. The risk depends on the specific type of birth defect. Parents who have experienced a stillbirth due to a birth defect should talk to their health care providers or to a genetic counselor to learn more about future risk.
  • If the mother had preeclampsia in her first pregnancy, she is at increased risk for preeclampsia in later pregnancies, especially the earlier in pregnancy she developed the disorder.
  • Certain problems with the placenta, such as placental abruption, are more likely to happen after they have occurred once. A woman whose stillbirth was caused by this type of problem is at risk of experiencing the same outcome in future pregnancies.
• The timing of the prior stillbirth also has an effect. The earlier in pregnancy the stillbirth occurred, the higher the risk of another stillbirth in a future pregnancy.
• Fetal growth restriction, meaning the developing fetus was unable to grow as big as it should because it was not able to get enough nutrients from the placenta, is a risk factor for stillbirth.

In addition to the possible increased risk for another stillbirth, post-stillbirth pregnancies are at greater risk, on average, for complications such as Cesarean delivery and low birth weight.

What special precautions should women take to reduce stillbirth risk in future pregnancies?

With careful monitoring and early delivery, health care providers can help women lower the odds of a repeat stillbirth.

Knowing the cause of a previous stillbirth, if possible, can provide valuable information for helping to reduce the risk for another stillbirth. If the cause of death was not investigated right away, health care providers may be able to determine the cause later by testing the mother for medical conditions that can cause stillbirth, such as antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.

Before a woman tries to get pregnant after a stillbirth, she should work with her health care provider to treat or control any risk factors she has that could cause or contribute to another stillbirth. These risks may include obesity, smoking, certain medical conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, and certain infections.

Early in a new pregnancy after a stillbirth, health care providers often use ultrasound to determine as accurately as possible the estimated due date. As the pregnancy progresses, health care providers may use ultrasound imaging more often than they would for other pregnant women to check how well the fetus is growing. They may also conduct special tests with ultrasound to look at specific aspects of the fetus's health, such as how well blood is flowing through the umbilical cord if poor fetal growth is diagnosed. Besides imaging, providers may perform non-stress tests or biophysical profile testing, and ask mothers to keep track of the fetus's movement (called a "kick count").