Stillbirth is when a baby dies in utero after pregnancy week 20 or during delivery. It occurs in about 1 out of every 160 pregnancies. Majority of stillbirths occur before delivery and a few percentage occur during child birth. The pregnant woman may notice that something is wrong because the baby may stop moving around and kicking.

What causes stillbirth ?

Some of the most common causes of stillbirth include the following :

• birth defects such as chromosomal abnormalities
• placental problems such as placental abruption
• bacterial infections usually between 24 to 27 weeks gestation
• having medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes
• umbilical cord problems
• trauma
• overdue pregnancy

 
You should however note that the cause of about one-third of stillbirths are unknown.