Nurture :: understanding the causes of stillbirth

The Auckland Stillbirth Study: understanding the causes of stillbirth

For every 1000 babies born in New Zealand, eight will be stillborn. More than 600 babies are stillborn or die within 28 days of birth in New Zealand every year. This is higher than the road toll and similar to the number of deaths from breast cancer annually. Stillbirth is a tragic ending to a pregnancy that causes unimaginable grief for the parents.

In the western world the rate of stillbirths has not declined. Several risk factors associated with stillbirth have been identified: maternal age over 40, smoking, high body mass index (overweight), fewer than four antenatal visits. The trend for women to have children later in life and the rise in body mass index may have an impact on unexplained stillbirths.

Lesley McCowan is leading a three-year study into the causes of stillbirths that occur after 28 weeks of pregnancy. There is usually no medical explanation for these late gestation stillbirths. The Auckland Stillbirth Study (TASS) will look at the known risk factors, and also explore environmental and lifestyle factors that have not previously been investigated. The aim is to identify risk factors for stillbirth, so that preventative programs and lifestyle changes can be implemented to reduce the tragic incidence of late fetal death.

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pregnancy complications current projects

preventing late pregnancy complications suppressing prelabour contractions understanding the causes of stillbirth investigating the causes of preeclampsia improving antenatal genetic diagnosis pre-term birth and risk of later diabetes analysis of amniotic fluid to predict preterm labour cervical characteristics may predict preterm labour understanding the causes of perinatal and maternal deaths preventing respiratory distress syndrome in preterm babies