Her Child Was Stillborn...a System That Doesn't Always Listen to Mothers

Question 1

Fetal monitor

Answer 1

Continuously records the heartbeat of the fetus and the contractions of the woman’s uterus during labor

Question 2

Stillbirth

Answer 2

The death of an expected child at 20 weeks or more

Question 3

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Answer 3

The death of a seemingly healthy baby in its sleep, due to an apparent spontaneous cessation of breathing.

Question 4

Ultrasound

Answer 4

A prenatal test that uses sound waves to show a picture of the baby in the uterus (womb). Ultrasounds help your health care provider check on the baby’s health and development

Question 5

Umbilical cord

Answer 5

A flexible cordlike structure containing blood vessels and attaching a fetus to the placenta during pregnancy

Question 6

Main Points

Answer 6

• There are more stillbirths than infant mortality and death from SIDS
• One study found that nearly one in four US stillbirths may be preventable.
• But federal agencies agencies have not prioritized critical stillbirth-focused studies that could lead to fewer deaths
• There’s a lack of education to expectant parents about stillbirth or counseling on fetal movement, despite research out there showing that patients who have had a stillbirth are more likely to have experienced abnormal fetal movements, including decreased activity