Study: Risk of Stillbirth Week by Week (late third trimester)

[sas85]

Interesting material. But if I am reading correctly, this is only from "unexplained" stillbirths. Therefore wouldn't "explained" stillbirths, particularly with reference to placental deterioration/failure still be higher post dates.

[finsmum]

I also think that the results of any study into normal gestation times is bound to be skewed now by our haste to intervene. Most women who go past even their estimated 41 weeks will be induced and so will never know how long they may have gestated or how healthy thier baby may have been if left to come in their own time. There is of course a rick of placental degradation, but I do also know of women who have had badly degraded placentas way before 40 weeks. I read another study by the Mayo clinic I think showing that the safest model was expectant management, ie monitoring and otherwise leaving nature to do her thing. I totally understand how after a frightening experience like that you would feel nervous about future longer pregnancies, just as after my experience I would never allow induction without a clear medical reason. It's a balancing act, there are risks on either side; as they say, birth is as safe as life gets...

[mama_canada]

Hi ladies,

I just wanted to clarify something - someone had said earlier that the risk of stillbirth declines after 42 weeks. Actually, this is not true - the risk of stillbirth actually INCREASES again after 40 weeks. I've added some comments to the figures to help with the interpretation. Basically, the lower the ratio number, the higher the risk (and vice versa). So the risk is actually highest at 35 weeks, and decreases until 40 weeks, at which point it begins to increase again. So this is, in fact, another study pointing to the increases in risk that come with going past 40 weeks.

Hope that helps!


35 weeks is 1:500 *** highest risk of stillbirth
36 weeks is 1:556 * risk begins to decrease
37 weeks is 1:645
38 weeks is 1:730
39 weeks is 1:840
40 weeks is 1:926 *** lowest risk of stillbirth
41 weeks is 1:826 * risk begins to increase again
42 weeks is 1:769
43 weeks is 1:633 *risk is about the same as at 37 weeks