A
friend of mine had a stillbirth, and I thought do my little research and find
out exactly what causes stillbirth, also the preventive measures to take.
Please
read and have an idea. Maybe you can share to other friends as this could help
someone!
Enjoy!
Causes
30%
of stillbirths remain unexplained. Some conditions that can cause stillbirth or
may be associated with stillbirth include:
1. Bleeding (hemorrhage) before or during labour
2. Problems
with the placenta (afterbirth) can separate from the womb before the baby is
born (placental abruption), or the placenta can fail to provide the baby with
enough oxygen and
nutrients which means that the baby does not grow properly
(intra-uterine growth restriction is
associated with one-third of all
stillbirths).
3. A
problem with the umbilical cord, (the cord) attaches the placenta to your baby’s tummy button;
it can slip down through the
entrance of the womb before the baby is born (known as cord
prolapse (caused by
Risk factors for PROM can be a bacterial
infection, smoking, or anatomic defect in
the structure of the amniotic sac,
uterus, or cervix).
In
some cases, the rupture can spontaneously heal, but in most cases of PROM,
labor begins within 48
hours. When this occurs, it is necessary that the mother
receives treatment to avoid possible infection in
the newborn) and it occurs in about 1 in 200 births), or it
can wrap around the baby’s neck.
4. Pre-Eclampsia is a condition that can cause high blood pressure in the
mother; mild pre-eclampsia
can affect up to 10% of first time pregnancies and
more severe pre-eclampsia can affect 1-2% of
pregnancies. Causes can be Insufficient
blood flow to the uterus, Damage to the blood vessels, a
problem with the
immune system or Poor diet.
5. A genetic physical defect in
the baby.
6. A genetic physical defect in
the baby
7. A liver disorder in the mother called obstetric
cholestasis which occurs in 1 in 200
pregnancies.
8. Diabetes in the mother
9. Infection in the mother that also affects the baby
Infections
About 7% of stillbirths are
caused by an infection. The infection can either ascend from the vagina into
the womb (uterus) or it can be passed from the mother to the baby through the
placenta.
Infections that can cause stillbirth
include:
Coxsackie virus: which can cause hand, foot and mouth disease in humans cytomegalovirus: a common virus from the herpes family of
viruses that often causes few symptoms in the mother
Herpes simplex: the virus that causes
Leptospirosis: a bacterial infection that is caught from animals such as
cows, pigs, dogs and rats.
Listeriosis: an infection that usually develops after eating food
that has been contaminated by bacteria called listeria monocytogenes
(listeria); it may cause vomiting and diarrhoea in the mother (see preventing
stillbirth for more information about the foods to avoid during pregnancy)
Lyme disease: a bacterial infection that is spread by infected ticks
Malaria: a tropical disease that is spread by mosquitoes(Common in West Africa)
Parvovirus b19: which causes slapped cheek syndrome, a common
childhood infection q fever:
a bacterial infection caught from animals such as sheep, goats and cows rubella (german measles): this is
rare because most pregnant women have had the mmr vaccine to protect
against rubella
Flu:
it is recommended that all pregnant women have the seasonal flu vaccine irrespective
of their stage of pregnancy
Toxoplasmosis: an infection caused by a parasite that is found in soil
and cat faeces
Increased
risk
There are a number of factors that
increase your risk of having a stillborn baby. They are:
- having twins or a multiple pregnancy - see risks in multiple pregnancy for more information
- being younger than 20 years of age
- being over 35 years of age
- having diabetes, high blood pressure or a blood-clotting disorder
- being a smoker:
- being obese: having a body mass index (BMI) of over 30
I'll post prevention measures tomorrow.
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