What are the causes of stillbirth?
There are several known causes of stillbirth. More than one of these may contribute to the baby's death.
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Infection - Maternal infections that are passed to the fetus during pregnancy. Such infections include fifth disease (parvovirus infection), enteroviruses (polioviruses, coxsackieviruses, and echoviruses), toxoplasma gandii, lyme disease, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus , B Streptococcus, Escherichia coli, parvovirus, and others. These infections are not as rare as one might think, and the mother may have no symptoms of infection and appear to be healthy.
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Birth defects - These include genetic defects such as Down syndrome, environmental factors such as exposure to heavy metals, and again Maternal infection: Certain infections during pregnancy, particularly during the first three months, can predispose an infant to birth defects, including heart disease. Rubella is an example of a viral infection that can cause such defects.
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Poor fetal growth - About 40 percent of stillborn babies had poor fetal growth. Some contributing factors include: high blood pressure in themother, a mother who smokes, and maternal infections.
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Umbilical cord accidents - A knot in the cord or a cord around the neck can be causes of umbilical cord related death.
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Placental abruption - The placenta can peel away from the uterine wall resulting in heavy bleeding that can lead to the death of the baby and can also threaten the life of the mother. This can also cause a lack of oxygen to the baby resulting in death. Risk factors include a mother who has chronic hypertension, preeclampsia, a mother who smokes or uses cocaine.
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Chronic health conditions in the pregnant mother - Risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, and thrombophilias (blood clotting disorders).
Testing for infection:
Medical doctors do not routinely test for maternal infection especially if you have no symptoms. If you find that your doctor is not willing to run some tests, here are a few alternatives:
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Check the symptoms list for some of the above mentioned infections. Even if you consider yourself healthy, you may be surprised at some of the symptoms listed that you didn't even realize were related to infection.
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Find a chiropractor or alternative health provider who does muscle testing (or kinesiology). It is a less expensive way to test for infection, and if you test positive to one or more infections, then you can always go back to your medical doctor and request a medical test for that specific pathogen.
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Find an independant lab that will run a urine or blood test without a doctor's prescription.