Is stillbirth dangerous?

There are many causes of stillbirth from the pregnant woman or from the fetus itself. So whether stillbirth is dangerous and how to recognize stillbirth is the question.

Cases where the fetus dies in the womb before birth is called stillbirth. Stillbirths usually remain in the mother's uterus for 48 hours and then come out. Although miscarriage and stillbirth are both understood as a lost fetus, they are differentiated based on when the loss occurred. If the fetus dies before 20 weeks, it is considered a miscarriage, and if the fetus is more than 20 weeks old, it is called stillbirth.

Stillbirth not only affects the mother's body but also causes certain psychological effects later. First, a stillbirth, if it can be removed by delivery, usually poses no danger to the mother with careful medical monitoring. The cases of stillbirth that cannot be removed by labor need to intervene early, otherwise it will affect the health of the mother. Stillbirth in the mother's body for a long time can cause infection, blood clotting disorder or death.
Second, stillbirth also leaves certain mental trauma to the mother. This can be shocking and can cause psychological obstacles such as fear for the next pregnancy, anxiety about the mother's next birth.

Stillbirth has many causes, can come from both the fetus as well as the mother, sometimes there are cases of stillbirth with no clear cause. The following are common causes of stillbirth:

The mother during pregnancy does not add enough nutrients to nourish the fetus During pregnancy the mother is anxious, stressed or exposed to toxic chemicals The mother's womb has birth defects , preeclampsia or the mother herself has underlying medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes. The mother has rubella virus during pregnancy or has antiphospholipid syndrome, or the mother or father has syphilis. Family history of diseases such as thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, thrombophlebitis There is a blood type incompatibility between mother and fetus

Uneven multiple pregnancy leads to stillbirth of one or all fetuses. Fetal growth retardation leads to stillbirth. Chromosomal disorders due to genes or during conception Fetal malformations are also the cause of stillbirth

Abnormal or too little amniotic fluid causes stillbirth Placental problems such as fibrosis, placental abruption can also cause stillbirth. In addition, the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck of the fetus can also be the cause of stillbirth

Usually stillbirth in the uterus within 48 hours, but for various reasons stillbirth remains in the mother's uterus longer and can cause certain dangers to the mother such as infection, Blood clotting disorders... Therefore, pregnant women should pay attention to the following signs of stillbirth in order to go to a medical facility and examine them promptly:
Stillbirth in the early stages of pregnancy very difficult to recognize. If the pregnant woman notices the bleeding is darker than usual, the signs of morning sickness subside and gradually disappear, especially the abdomen does not tend to enlarge, she should go to a reputable medical center or hospital. Get checked out right away as these could be signs of a stillbirth.
Accordingly, stillbirth in later stages is easier to recognize because the fetus has had certain movements during this period. If the pregnant woman does not feel the movement of the fetus in the abdomen, the abdomen does not tend to enlarge but is getting smaller and smaller, the breasts secrete colostrum, the vagina bleeds black, it may be the stillbirth. Pregnant women need to go to the hospital for examination and treatment early to avoid long-term effects on the body.

To prevent stillbirth, pregnant women should take precautions before and during pregnancy.
Before becoming pregnant: When you intend to become pregnant, you should have a general reproductive health check-up to early detect factors that may affect the mother and baby during pregnancy. Supplementing with essential nutrients, especially folic acid, should be taken 1-3 months before pregnancy. If you are suffering from certain diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, you should control the disease well to avoid affecting the pregnancy process. In addition, if you are obese, you should lose weight before becoming pregnant because some medical studies show that obesity is also a cause of dangerous complications for mother and fetus. After pregnancy: During pregnancy, pregnant women should eat enough nutrients, help the fetus develop comprehensively, limit the use of stimulants such as alcohol, beer, and tobacco. In addition, pregnant women should have regular antenatal check-ups to detect abnormalities in the fetus, if any. In addition, pregnant women need to protect themselves against adverse effects from the environment as well as quickly go to the hospital to check if there are other abnormal changes in the body.

Most Vietnamese women today are only concerned with their health and the baby after pregnancy, while preparing for pregnancy is much more important. The counseling and health check for pregnancy preparation for couples who are planning to become pregnant, for parents who have been pregnant or have had children with birth defects or problems related to pregnancy. Chronic diseases, obstetrics and gynecological diseases, miscarriage, stillbirth... are very important and necessary to minimize the possible risks in the next pregnancy. .
Besides genetic screening before pregnancy and genetic screening during pregnancy, Vinmec's Pre-Pregnancy Care and Counseling Program also screens for many other factors, such as pre-implantation testing (PGT). ), screening for diseases such as vaginal infections, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), diabetes, cardiovascular diseases,... to prepare well for pregnancy, increase the likelihood of having a healthy baby and minimize risks during pregnancy, delivery and postpartum.