Stillbirths are more common among the heaviest and lightest fetuses, according to a new study from Canada.
Researchers found that 19 percent of all stillbirths occurred in fetuses whose weight put them in the lightest 10 percent of all fetuses of their age, with 6 percent of stillbirths occurring in the lightest 1 percent.
Fetuses among the heaviest 1 percent of those their age accounted for another 1 percent of all stillbirths.
“Extreme underweight and overweight states confer the highest risk of stillbirth," the researchers wrote.
Stillbirth
is
commonly defined as death of a fetus after 23 weeks pregnancy and after
the fetus weighs 500 grams (about 1.1 pounds); in this study, the
researchers included fetal deaths that occurred after 20 weeks of
pregnancy. The researchers collected data on all births in Ontario
between 2002 and 2007 — a total of 767,016 live births and 4,697
stillbirths.
Problems with the placenta can result in a fetus being severely underweight, while fetuses are most at risk for being overweight if the mother is obese or has diabetes, according to the researchers.
The researchers say their finding may help doctors assess when it might be appropriate to deliver a baby early, in cases where the chance of it surviving outside the womb might be higher than the chance surviving in the womb.
In the developed world, stillbirths occur
in 6 out of 1,000 births — a rate that is higher than the infant death
rate from conditions such as sudden infant death syndrome or
complications of premature birth, the researchers said.
Researchers found that 19 percent of all stillbirths occurred in fetuses whose weight put them in the lightest 10 percent of all fetuses of their age, with 6 percent of stillbirths occurring in the lightest 1 percent.
Fetuses among the heaviest 1 percent of those their age accounted for another 1 percent of all stillbirths.
“Extreme underweight and overweight states confer the highest risk of stillbirth," the researchers wrote.
Stillbirth
is
commonly defined as death of a fetus after 23 weeks pregnancy and after
the fetus weighs 500 grams (about 1.1 pounds); in this study, the
researchers included fetal deaths that occurred after 20 weeks of
pregnancy. The researchers collected data on all births in Ontario
between 2002 and 2007 — a total of 767,016 live births and 4,697
stillbirths.Problems with the placenta can result in a fetus being severely underweight, while fetuses are most at risk for being overweight
if the mother is obese or has diabetes, according to the researchers.The researchers say their finding may help doctors assess when it might be appropriate to deliver a baby early, in cases where the chance of it surviving outside the womb might be higher than the chance surviving in the womb.
In the developed world, stillbirth
s occur
in 6 out of 1,000 births — a rate that is higher than the infant death
rate from conditions such as sudden infant death syndrome or
complications of premature birth, the researchers said.