The Stillbirth Fee in Texas and Causes Why Stillbirths Occur

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According to a new report on stillbirth released this month by the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund and other global organizations, a baby dies every 16 seconds.

A stillbirth is the loss of a baby in or after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

There are approximately 24,000 stillbirths in the United States each year.

Texas loses over 2,000 babies each year to stillbirth.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the national rate of premature stillbirths has remained virtually unchanged over the past four to five decades, and lateborn stillbirths have declined steadily over the past 30 years.

“That’s roughly the same number of babies who die each year in their first year of life and more than ten times the number of deaths from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome),” said Dr. Kjersti Aagaard, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine, in an email.

There are racial differences in the numbers. According to a study by the CDC, black mothers are more than twice as likely to have stillbirths than Hispanic and white mothers.

Why stillbirths happen

A stillbirth tragedy is almost never anyone’s fault, says Dr. Aagaard.

However, some health complications are known to increase the risk of late stillbirth of the fetus, such as: B. high blood pressure, diabetes, some forms of kidney disease, obesity, smoking, stillbirths, and advanced motherhood.

Some stillbirths have causes, and these can, according to Dr. Aagaard serious congenital abnormalities (or “birth defects”), known genetic syndromes, or major structural changes in DNA, and some problems with the placenta.

Stillbirths can also result from trauma such as a car accident that shears the placenta or directly harms the baby. This underscores the importance of buckling up.

Women who suffer from domestic violence are also often susceptible to this type of injury.

Dr. Aagaard stated that the vast majority (up to 80% in some studies) of stillbirths are unknown or “unexplained stillbirths”. This means that there is no apparent cause. “For this reason, we usually recommend a very thorough examination of the stillborn child at birth. This can include an autopsy alongside genetic and other laboratory tests, ”she said.

Monitoring and discussion of risks

You should be given information about stillbirths and the risks involved in your pregnancy.

“We and our fellow midwives try to have these conversations throughout pregnancy,” said Dr. Aagaard. “We try to strike a balance between not being overly stressed, but also not risking a sugar coating.”

The number of kicks (also known as the number of movements the fetus makes) is a measure that you can use to monitor your growing baby at home.

The March of Dimes, a national nonprofit that works to improve maternal and baby health, has some tips for measuring the number of kicks.

“Every day, how long it takes for your baby to move ten times. If it takes longer than two hours, inform your provider. Also see how many movements you feel in an hour. Do this three times a week. If the number changes, inform your provider, ”explains the website.

Your doctor should look for complications during your pregnancy or any health issues that could be causing problems.

“We monitor women roughly weekly in the final months of their pregnancy,” said Aagaard. “This monitoring includes the use of ultrasound to measure fetal growth approximately monthly and monitoring the fetal heart rate pattern approximately weekly.”

She suggests that if you are concerned about the risk of stillbirth, speak to your doctor or midwife to come up with a plan that is tailored to your risks.

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If you’ve experienced a loss or know someone who has one, these stories, and these stories about how families navigated through the loss of a stillbirth, can bring comfort.

Bo’s Place in Houston has grief support groups for families who have experienced a pregnancy loss.

Here are some resources in Dallas for stillbirth and child loss.

Find resources in San Antonio as well as resources and support groups in Austin.