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.

Study finds link between pontosubicular necrosis and placental pathology

Pediatric and Developmental Pathology – A stillbirth occurs when a baby is born without any signs of life. Placental pathology is found to be related to the cause of death in a significant number of pregnancies that result in stillbirth

20 Jun 2016

Adequate maternal folate may protect children from future obesity risk

Proper maternal folate levels during pregnancy may protect children from a future risk of obesity, especially those born to obese mothers, according to a study led by researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health.

14 Jun 2016

Seasonal trivalent influenza vaccination during pregnancy may guard against stillbirth

Seasonal influenza vaccination may guard against stillbirth, a new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and available online suggests. Researchers in Western Australia analyzed data from nearly 60,000 births that occurred during the southern hemisphere's 2012 and 2013 seasonal influenza epidemics, and found that women who received the trivalent influenza vaccine during pregnancy were 51 percent less likely to experience a stillbirth than unvaccinated mothers.

2 Apr 2016

Study assesses acceptability of alternative drug to prevent malaria among pregnant women in Kenya

Researchers at LSTM, working with colleagues at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention USA, the Kenya Medical Research Institute, and from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, have completed a study to assess the acceptability among pregnant women and health providers in Kenya of a new drug as an alternative to the standard drug used to prevent malaria in pregnancy.

21 Mar 2016

Researchers explore prenatal marijuana use in legalized environment

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus are studying the detection of prenatal marijuana use in a legalized environment. The study of marijuana use in pregnancy is only possible in a few states.

9 Mar 2016

Air pollution exposure increases preterm birth risk

Exposure to high levels of small particle air pollution is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth - before 37 weeks of pregnancy, according to a new study published online in the journal Environmental Health.

27 Jan 2016

Falls in stillbirth rates failing to keep pace with childhood, maternal mortality rates

Approximately 2.6 million babies were stillborn in 2015, or around 7200 every day globally. Falls in stillbirth rates since the year 2000 are failing to keep pace with falls in childhood and maternal mortality rates, say the authors of The Lancet’s new Ending preventable stillbirths Series.

20 Jan 2016

Study shows slow global progress on stillbirth prevention leaves over 2.6 million babies at risk each year

More than 2.6 million stillbirths continue to occur globally every year with very slow progress made to tackle this 'silent problem', according to new research published in The Lancet. Despite significant reductions in the number of maternal and child deaths, there has been little change in the number of stillbirths (in the third trimester of pregnancy) even though the majority are preventable.

20 Jan 2016

Use of oral fluconazole during pregnancy associated with increased risk of spontaneous abortion

In an analysis of approximately 1.4 million pregnancies in Denmark, use of the oral antifungal medication fluconazole during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion compared with risk among unexposed women and women who used a topical antifungal during pregnancy, according to a study in the January 5 issue of JAMA.

6 Jan 2016

First perinatal mortality surveillance report published for Trusts and Health Boards in the UK

Today MBRRACE-UK is publishing the first perinatal mortality surveillance report for Trusts and Health Boards in the UK.

16 Dec 2015

Maternal smoking affects long-term health of male offspring

Mothers who smoke are putting more than their own health at risk, suggests a study published today in BJOG: an International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Young men whose mothers smoked during pregnancy had lower aerobic fitness compared to those whose mothers did not.

9 Dec 2015

WHO’s new checklist targets preventable causes of maternal, newborn deaths in healthcare settings

Worldwide, the majority of maternal and newborn deaths occur around the time of birth, typically within the first 24 hours after childbirth. Most of these deaths are preventable.

8 Dec 2015

Infant death risk higher for mothers who gain weight gain between pregnancies

An analysis of pregnancies recorded on the Swedish Medical Birth Register indicates that the risk of a baby dying in its first year of life is greater among mothers who gain weight between their first and second pregnancies compared with women who do not gain weight.

3 Dec 2015

Study reveals key steps to improve care for pregnant mothers, prevent stillbirths

A new study launched today (Thursday 19 November) has revealed key steps for hospitals to improve care for pregnant mums and babies.

20 Nov 2015

Study finds black-white disparities in preterm birth in Canada

Black women in Canada have substantially higher rates of premature births than white women, mirroring relative disparities in the United States, according to a study led by researchers at McGill University. The findings are based on new cohort data from the Canadian Live Birth, Infant Death and Stillbirth Database linked to the Canadian census data.

10 Nov 2015

Obese women who lose weight during pregnancy have healthier babies, save health care costs

A recent study conducted by The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston shows that severely obese women who maintained or lost weight during pregnancy had healthier babies and lower health care costs.

31 Oct 2015

Study raises hope for reducing life-threatening respiratory problems in infants

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have a lead on reducing life-threatening respiratory problems in infants born to women who develop the liver disorder intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).

30 Sep 2015

NIH's Human Placenta Project aims to revolutionize understanding of the placenta

The National Institutes of Health has announced $46 million in research awards for the Human Placenta Project, an initiative to revolutionize understanding of the placenta. The awards will fund technology development and testing to assess placental function throughout pregnancy, with the ultimate goal of improving pregnancy outcomes and lifelong health.

29 Sep 2015

Pregnant teenagers at higher risk of more pregnancies in teenage years

Nearly a quarter of teenagers in England and Wales who have had an abortion have been pregnant before, according to new research from the University of East Anglia.

21 Sep 2015

UN reports that more needs to be done so all children are born HIV and syphilis free in Asia-Pacific region

The Asia–Pacific region has made significant progress in efforts to eliminate HIV and syphilis, but thousands of mothers and children have yet to feel the benefits.

14 Sep 2015