Call your midwife or maternity unit straight away if you think your baby is moving less than usual reduced foetal movement. They'll need to check your baby's movements and heartbeat. Do not wait until the next day, or your next appointment or after the weekend — call your midwife straightaway, even if it's the middle of the night. Do not use a home monitoring kit doppler to try to check the baby's heartbeat yourself.
This is not a reliable way to check your baby's health. Even if you hear a heartbeat, this does not mean your baby is well. Vaginal bleeding may indicate a problem — read about bleeding from your vagina in pregnancy. If you have watery, clear or coloured discharge from your vagina that seems abnormal for you, contact your maternity unit. This could be your waters breaking or signs of an infection. Find out about vaginal discharge in pregnancy. Blurred vision, severe headache and swelling could be signs of pre-eclampsia.
Although pre-eclampsia is usually mild, in some pregnancies it can lead to life-threatening problems for both mother and baby. Call your maternity unit if you have itching particularly on the hands and feet, but other areas of the body may also be affected , even if it's mild.
Itching in pregnancy is normal for most women, but it can mean you have a liver disorder called intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy ICP, also called obstetric cholestasis.
If left untreated, ICP can lead to premature labour and increase the risk of stillbirth. Find out about itching and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy obstetric cholestasis. Page last reviewed: 12 July Next review due: 12 July Home Pregnancy Keeping well in pregnancy Back to Keeping well in pregnancy.
Reducing the risk of stillbirth. Go to all your antenatal appointments It's important not to miss any of your antenatal appointments. Find out when you'll have your antenatal appointments Eat healthily and keep active Try to swap unhealthy foods for healthier options, and try to keep active.
Read about: how to have a healthy diet in pregnancy , including healthy snacks exercise in pregnancy Stop smoking If you smoke, the best thing you can do is to stop. Find out about stopping smoking in pregnancy Avoid alcohol in pregnancy The safest way to ensure your baby is not damaged by alcohol is not to drink while you're pregnant. Go to sleep on your side Research suggests that going to sleep on your back after 28 weeks of pregnancy doubles the risk of stillbirth.
Watch an animation from Tommy's about how to sleep safely in pregnancy Tell your midwife about any drug use If you use or have used street drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy or heroin or other substances, tell your midwife.
Find out about illegal drugs and pregnancy Have the flu jab Make sure you have the seasonal flu vaccination, which is available from the beginning of October each year. An ultrasound uses sound waves and a computer screen to show a picture of your baby in the womb. If your baby is stillborn, your provider talks with you about options for giving birth. When and how you give birth depends on how far along you are in your pregnancy, your medical condition and what you think is best for you and your family.
Labor usually starts within 2 weeks after a baby dies in the womb. Your provider checks your baby, the placenta and the umbilical cord to try to find out why your baby died. The placenta grows in your uterus and supplies the baby with food and oxygen through the umbilical cord. Your provider may ask to do certain tests to try find out what caused the stillbirth.
Tests may include:. In addition to checking your baby for medical and genetic conditions, your provider reviews your family health history and any problems or illnesses you had during pregnancy. Your family health history is a record of any health conditions you, your partner and members of both your families have had. Your provider may want to test you for infections, genetic conditions and other medical conditions, like lupus or thyroid problems.
If you have questions about the tests, including their cost, talk to your health care provider. For most women, the chances of having another stillbirth are very low. If you had a stillbirth and are thinking about having another baby, give yourself time to heal physically and emotionally. Your provider may recommend that you have medical tests to try to find out more about what caused your stillbirth.
If you had a stillbirth that was caused by a genetic condition, a genetic counselor can help you understand the condition and the chances of you having another stillbirth. Your health care provider can help you find a genetic counselor. If you get pregnant again, your provider monitors you and your baby closely. At around 32 weeks of pregnancy, she may ask you to do kick counts to help you keep track of how often your baby moves.
Infections in the mother or baby. Some infections may not cause signs or symptoms and may not be diagnosed until they cause serious complications, like premature birth or stillbirth.
Infections that can cause stillbirth include:. Problems with the placenta or umbilical cord. Placental problems include infections, blood clots, inflammation redness, pain and swelling , problems with blood vessels and other conditions, like placental abruption.
Placental abruption is a serious condition in which the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus before birth. Placental problems cause about 24 in stillbirths 24 percent. Problems with the umbilical cord may lead to about 10 in stillbirths 10 percent. Grief is all the feelings you have when someone close to you dies. Having a stillborn baby is a painful loss for a family. But there are things you can do to help you grieve, heal and remember your baby.
After birth, do what feels right for you and your family. You may want to spend time alone with your baby and other family members. You can name your baby, hold your baby, bathe and clothe her and take part in cultural or religious traditions, like baptism.
Some families take pictures of their baby, make footprints or save locks of hair. You may be able to keep things from the hospital, like blankets, that were used with your baby. Keepsakes like these can help you and your family remember your baby. Parents who have a stillbirth need time to grieve. You and your partner may cope with grief in different ways, and you may need help dealing with others as you grieve. You may need help learning how to deal with these situations and the feelings they create.
Or your hospital may have a loss and grief program for families. Getting counseling can be really helpful to you and your family. Talking about your feelings with other parents who have had a stillbirth may help you deal with your grief. Visit shareyourstory. Sharing your story may ease your pain and help you heal. Having a stillbirth may make you at risk for postpartum depression also called PPD.
PPD is a kind of depression that some women get after having a baby. Tell your provider if you have signs or symptoms of PPD, like feeling depressed most of the day every day, having little interest in things you normally like to do, or having trouble eating or sleeping.
Get expert tips and resources from March of Dimes and CDC to increase your chance of having a healthy, fully-term pregnancy and baby. March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs and provide education and advocacy so that every family can have the best possible start.
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Mission stories Spotlights Impact Stories. E-mail to a friend Please fill in all fields. Please enter a valid e-mail address. With more research, it's hoped that placental causes may be better understood, leading to improved detection and better care for these babies.
Usually this will be a bacterial infection that travels from the vagina into the womb uterus. These bacteria include group B streptococcus , E. Some bacterial infections, such as chlamydia and mycoplasma or ureaplasma, which are sexually transmitted infections , can be prevented by using condoms during sex.
There are also a number of things that may increase your risk of having a stillborn baby, including:. Your midwife will check the growth and wellbeing of your baby at each antenatal appointment and plot the baby's growth on a chart. Every baby is different and should grow to the size that's normal for them. Some babies are naturally small, but all babies should continue to grow steadily throughout pregnancy.
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