The highest risk for stillbirth in low-risk pregnancies generally occurs as pregnancy extends past the due date, with the risk increasing with each week after 39 weeks, peaking around 40 to 42 weeks, especially for older mothers or with certain conditions like gestational diabetes, where waiting longer significantly raises mortality risk compared to delivery. While stillbirths happen earlier, term stillbirths are most common after 37 weeks, and the risk climbs steadily into the post-term period, with some studies showing risk doubling from week 39 to 40.
Women who are of advanced maternal age are at higher risk of stillbirth throughout gestation; the peak risk period is 37 to 41 weeks.
Most miscarriages happen in the first trimester, especially between weeks 6 and 8, with the risk decreasing significantly as the pregnancy progresses, particularly after a heartbeat is detected. About 80% of losses occur before 12 weeks, and the rate drops sharply after week 12, with a very low risk after 16 weeks.
Stillbirth is further classified as early, late, or term: Early is a loss between 20 and 27 weeks of pregnancy. Late is a loss between 28 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. Term is a loss at 37 or more weeks of pregnancy.
The most common symptom of stillbirth is when you stop feeling your baby moving and kicking. Some people can also experience cramps, pain, or vaginal bleeding.
Increased risk
having a baby who doesn't grow as they should in the womb. being under 20 or over 35 years old. smoking, drinking alcohol or misusing drugs while pregnant. being obese – having a body mass index of 30 or above.
Signs of Fetal Distress
Your chance of miscarriage is highest when you first find out you're pregnant — around week 3 or 4. During weeks 3 and 4 of pregnancy, the miscarriage rate is roughly 25% to 33% of all pregnancies. After week 4, the rate drops to 15% to 20% between weeks 5 and 6.
Healthcare providers classify stillbirths based on the number of weeks of pregnancy before the fetus passes. Early stillbirth: The fetus dies between 20 and 27 weeks. Late stillbirth: The fetus dies between 28 and 36 weeks. Term stillbirth: The fetus dies the 37th week or after.
Not all stillbirths can be prevented, but there are some things you can do to reduce the risk. These include: not smoking. avoiding drugs and alcohol during pregnancy – as well as increasing the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth, these can seriously affect your baby's development.
The risk of miscarriage also decreases significantly—to about 5 percent—after your doctor detects a heartbeat. This typically occurs at around your 6 to 8 week mark. The chances of having a second miscarriage after a woman has already experienced one is also very slim at less than 3 percent.
Most miscarriages (80%) happen within the first three months of pregnancy (up to 13 weeks of pregnancy). Less than 5% of miscarriages occur after 20 weeks' gestation. The rate of miscarriage may be higher if you consider miscarriages that happen shortly after implantation.
Miscarriage is the sudden loss of a pregnancy before the 20th week. About 10% to 20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. But the actual number is likely higher. This is because many miscarriages happen early on, before people realize they're pregnant.
Problems with the placenta, such as insufficient blood flow. These were the leading causes of stillbirths in the womb, usually after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Fetal genetic problems and congenital anomalies, such as the neural tube defect anencephaly, in which most or all of the fetal brain and skull fails to develop.
The fetus is most vulnerable during the first 12 weeks.
The risk of stillbirth was increased in women going to sleep in the supine position compared to the left side (adjusted odds ratio 2.63 (95% CI 1.72, 4.04)).
Maternal obesity and insulin resistance further exacerbates the placental dysfunction and results in an increased frequency of stillbirth. Our results suggest that poor nutrition during pregnancy and not just obesity is a risk factor for adverse obstetric outcomes.
The overall stillbirth rate has remained between 6.7 and 7.7 per 1,000 births between 2003 and 2021. The rate in 2021 (7.2 per 1,000 births) is lower than in 2020 (7.7) – which marked a 20-year high-point – and the same as in 2019.
There is no evidence of reduction in the risk of miscarriage in women prescribed bed rest. HCG administration as an alternative care for threatened miscarriage was more effective than bed rest in the Harrison study but this benefit is not confirmed when compared with placebo.
About 2-3% of pregnancies will be lost in the second trimester, a rate that is much lower than in the first trimester. Once a pregnancy gets to about 20 weeks gestation, less than 0.5% will end in a fetal demise. A loss at this time in pregnancy is most often a hard and sad experience.
Chromosome conditions
If your baby inherits a chromosome condition, they'll not be able to develop properly. This causes a miscarriage. It's not possible to tell which parent passed on the chromosome condition. Chromosome conditions are thought to be the most common cause of an early miscarriage.
Top 5 Conditions of Abnormal Pregnancy
How often should your baby move? There's no set number of movements you should feel each day – every baby is different. You do not need to count the number of kicks or movements you feel each day. The important thing is to get to know your baby's usual pattern of movements from day to day.
Five key warning signs during pregnancy needing immediate medical attention include vaginal bleeding, severe headaches with vision changes, decreased baby movement, severe abdominal pain/cramping, and signs of preterm labor like regular contractions or fluid leakage, as these can signal serious issues like miscarriage, preeclampsia, placental problems, or infection. Always contact your healthcare provider or seek emergency care for these symptoms.