Stillbirth News and Research

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Stillbirth refers to the death of a baby before or during delivery and after 24 weeks of pregnancy. If a baby dies before 24 weeks of completed pregnancy, the term “miscarriage” or fetal loss applies instead.

Health risks for newborns rise with increasing maternal age

Giving birth to a child after 40 is becoming more and more common – but it can entail an increased risk to the child.

23 Jun 2025

Iodine fortification urged as plant-based milk rise in popularity

Iodine content in plant-based milks is often insufficient, risking deficiencies that affect metabolism and public health, especially in reproductive-age women.

20 Jun 2025

Global guideline released by WHO on managing sickle cell disease in pregnancy

The World Health Organization (WHO) today released its first-ever global guideline on the management of sickle cell disease (SCD) during pregnancy, addressing a critical and growing health challenge that can have life-threatening consequences for both women and babies.

19 Jun 2025

RFK Jr. says healthy pregnant women don’t need covid boosters. What the science says.

You're pregnant, healthy, and hearing mixed messages: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is not a scientist or doctor, says you don't need the covid vaccine, but experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Protection still put you in a high-risk group of people who ought to receive boosters.

2 Jun 2025

COVID-19 restrictions linked to better birth timing but worse mental health

A global review reveals that while lockdowns helped reduce early births in some regions, they also worsened maternal mental health, highlighting the need for more tailored support during future health crises.

1 May 2025

Children born with congenital syphilis face higher risk of hospitalization

Children born with syphilis are six times more likely to be admitted to hospital in their first five years of life compared to children not exposed to syphilis from their mother before birth, according to new research.

1 May 2025

Study finds key genetic differences between male and female placentas

The genes of male and female placentas have marked differences in how they are expressed, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other institutions.

1 May 2025

Ethnicity and socioeconomic deprivation linked to adverse birth outcomes

In Birmingham, 43% of the population live in the most deprived 10% of neighborhoods in England. It is well known that deprivation can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including low birth weight, premature birth, stillbirths, and neonatal mortality.

16 Apr 2025

Funding cuts endanger decades of progress in reducing child deaths and stillbirths

The number of children dying globally before their fifth birthday declined to 4.8 million in 2023, while stillbirths declined modestly, still remaining around 1.9 million, according to two new reports released today by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME).

25 Mar 2025

Disabled women in the UK face significant maternity inequalities

Disabled women in the UK, who make up 20% of women of reproductive age, face significant inequalities in maternal and neonatal outcomes according to a new report.

7 Mar 2025

Adverse pregnancy outcomes increase cardiovascular risk, even in unaffected sisters

A study reveals that women with adverse pregnancy outcomes and their APO-free sisters share elevated cardiovascular disease risks, indicating genetic links.

11 Feb 2025

Climate change may increase the risk of prolonged pregnancy

New Curtin University research has found exposure to outdoor air pollution and extreme temperatures during pregnancy may increase the risk of prolonged pregnancy, offering new insights into the impact of climate change on maternal health.

11 Feb 2025

AI-based model detects unseen risk combinations in pregnancies

A new AI-based analysis of almost 10,000 pregnancies has discovered previously unidentified combinations of risk factors linked to serious negative pregnancy outcomes, including stillbirth.

31 Jan 2025

Swedish study demonstrates significant reduction in infant mortality after 41 weeks gestation

The proportion of babies dying before and during labor after 41 weeks of gestation has fallen by 47% in Sweden in a relatively short time. This is the result of a major national study. The reduction has occurred since the procedures around induction have changed.

17 Jan 2025

Study shines new light on guidelines for delivery timing in women with chronic hypertension

A collaborative study from physician researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine is shining new light on current guidelines for delivery timing in pregnant mothers with chronic hypertension.

19 Dec 2024

Gene therapy to prevent stillbirth and premature delivery developed

Researchers investigate the effectiveness of placental nano-based insulin-like 1 growth factor gene therapy to correct fetal growth restriction.

12 Dec 2024

ACMG sets new lifelong guidelines for managing phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency

Updated evidence-based clinical guidelines for phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency diagnosis and management.

4 Dec 2024

Women with infertility have higher risk of developing systemic autoimmune diseases

Women who experience infertility but do not use fertility treatments have a higher risk of developing a group of conditions called systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD) in the nine years after a naturally conceived birth compared to women without fertility problems.

4 Dec 2024

Heat exposure significantly heightens risks for maternal and newborn health

The study reveals that heat exposure increases health risks for pregnant women and their babies, impacting outcomes like preterm birth, low birth weight, and hypertensive disorders.

10 Nov 2024

Coffee consumption during pregnancy not linked to children's neurodevelopmental difficulties

A University of Queensland-led study has failed to find any strong links between drinking coffee during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental difficulties in children, but researchers are advising expectant mothers to continue following medical guidelines on caffeine consumption.

9 Oct 2024

Stillbirth News and Research

Further Reading

Health risks for newborns rise with increasing maternal age

Iodine fortification urged as plant-based milk rise in popularity

Global guideline released by WHO on managing sickle cell disease in pregnancy

RFK Jr. says healthy pregnant women don’t need covid boosters. What the science says.

COVID-19 restrictions linked to better birth timing but worse mental health

Children born with congenital syphilis face higher risk of hospitalization

Study finds key genetic differences between male and female placentas

Ethnicity and socioeconomic deprivation linked to adverse birth outcomes

Funding cuts endanger decades of progress in reducing child deaths and stillbirths

Disabled women in the UK face significant maternity inequalities

Adverse pregnancy outcomes increase cardiovascular risk, even in unaffected sisters

Climate change may increase the risk of prolonged pregnancy

AI-based model detects unseen risk combinations in pregnancies

Swedish study demonstrates significant reduction in infant mortality after 41 weeks gestation

Study shines new light on guidelines for delivery timing in women with chronic hypertension

Gene therapy to prevent stillbirth and premature delivery developed

ACMG sets new lifelong guidelines for managing phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency

Women with infertility have higher risk of developing systemic autoimmune diseases

Heat exposure significantly heightens risks for maternal and newborn health

Coffee consumption during pregnancy not linked to children's neurodevelopmental difficulties

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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