A stillbirth is the death of a baby in utero in the second half of pregnancy (at or after 20 weeks of pregnancy), either before or during delivery. Stillbirth is a different kind of pregnancy loss than miscarriage, which is defined as the loss of a baby before 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Stillbirth affects about 1 in 175 births, and each year over 21,000 babies are stillborn in the United States. That means that stillbirth occurs about 15 times as often as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), a public health issue that has received far more attention. While public health initiatives have achieved remarkable success in reducing the SIDS rate, the stillbirth rate in the United States has barely changed for over a decade.

Stillbirth is often caused by placental issues, umbilical cord accidents, infection, and maternal health conditions. Genetic abnormalities also account for some stillbirths. Unfortunately, many families are unable to learn what caused their baby’s death because access to fetal autopsies is very limited. More perinatal pathologists, better data collection, and additional research are needed to identify stillbirth causes and inform prevention strategies.

Improving data collection and reporting, increasing access to qualified perinatal pathologists, expanding provider education, and raising public awareness are all critical steps toward reducing stillbirth and improving outcomes for families.