Stillbirth

Question 1

Risk factors for stillbirth

Answer 1

➢ Low socio economic status
➢ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
➢ Ethnicity: South Asian, African (including refugee or asylum seeker)
➢ Smoking
➢ Obesity
➢ Maternal age > 35 years
➢ Nulliparity
➢ Substance use
➢ Pre-existing medical ➢ Diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2, Essential hypertension, Auto-immune
disorders e.g. Systemic Lupus Erythromatosis
➢ Other maternal e.g. Malaria, sexually transmitted diseases
◼ Obstetric risks
◼ Congenital abnormality
◼ Perinatal infection
◼ Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy
◼ Antepartum haemorrhage
◼ Cholestasis of pregnancy
◼ Antiphospholipid syndrome
◼ Multiple pregnancy
◼ Post term
◼ Specific perinatal conditions: fetomaternal haemorrhage, uterine anomalies, autoimmune disease
◼ Fetal growth restriction
◼ Reduced fetal movements
◼ Placental dysfunction: e.g. abnormal maternal vascular perfusion

Question 2

What documents exists for care providers around stillbirth, amd what does the document cover?

Answer 2

Stillbirth Clinical Care Standard by Aus Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

Covers best practice care for:
stillbirth prevention
investigation,
and bereavement care following perinatal loss.

The Stillbirth Clinical Care Standard includes:
Ten quality statements describing the care that should be provided
A set of indicators to support monitoring and quality improvement

Question 3

Stillbirth definition

Answer 3

The birth of a baby without signs of life, at 20 or more completed weeks of gestation or at a weight of 400 grams or more.