A third of stillbirths remain unexplained - that is, the babies appear to be perfectly healthy. Scientists still do not know why these babies die and more research is needed.
There are some things that you can do to improve your health and reduce your risk of having a stillborn baby. These include:
- stopping smoking (if you smoke): smoking increases the risk of stillbirth
- avoiding drinking alcohol while pregnant: alcohol can seriously affect your baby’s development and increases the risk of miscarriage during the first three months
- avoiding recreational drugs: illegal drugs, such as cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy and heroin, can harm your baby
- monitoring your baby's movements (see below)
- reporting any tummy pain or vaginal bleeding that you have
- protecting yourself against infections (see the causes of stillbirth) and avoiding certain foods (see below)
- attending all your antenatal appointments
Your weight
Obesity (a body mass index of over 30) is a risk factor for stillbirth. You can check your BMI using the healthy weight calculator. However, if you're pregnant the calculator may not be accurate so you should consult your midwife or doctor instead.
The best way to protect your health and your baby’s wellbeing is to lose weight before you become pregnant. By reaching a healthy weight, you cut your risk of all the problems that are associated with obesity in pregnancy. Contact your GP for advice about how to lose weight. They may be able to refer you to a specialist weightloss clinic.
If you're obese when you become pregnant, you should discuss with your midwife or GP how much weight you expect to gain during the pregnancy .
Eating healthily and activities such as walking and swimming are good for all pregnant women. If you were not active before becoming pregnant, you should consult your midwife or doctor before starting a new exercise programme while you're pregnant.
Read more about what to do if you are overweight and exercises and keeping active during pregnancy.
Monitoring your baby's movements
You will usually start feeling some movement between weeks 16 and 22 of your pregnancy. Every baby has its own pattern of movements and around this stage of your pregnancy you will start to get to know your baby’s movements.
At each antenatal appointment, your midwife will talk to you about the pattern of movements. A change, particularly a reduction in movements, may be a warning sign that your baby needs further monitoring.
After week 28 of your pregnancy, you should contact your GP or midwife immediately if, compared to normal movements for your baby, you notice that:
- there has been a continuous decrease in movements over several days
- there is a big decrease in your baby’s movements
- your baby has stopped moving completely
The website of the national charity, Sands (stillbirth and neonatal death), has more information and advice about getting to know your baby’s movements and what to do if you think there is a problem.
Avoiding certain foods
There are some foods that you should not eat during pregnancy and some extra precautions that you should take for you and your baby's wellbeing.
For example, you should not eat some types of fish or cheese, and you should make sure that all meat and poultry is cooked thoroughly.
Read more about the foods to avoid during pregnancy.
Attending antenatal appointments
During your antenatal appointments, your midwife or GP will monitor the development of your baby. They will monitor your baby’s growth and position.
You will also be offered a series of tests to detect any illnesses or conditions, such as pre-eclampsia (problems with the placenta), that may cause complications for you or your baby. Any necessary treatment can be provided promptly and efficiently.
Read more about antenatal care.
