Se habla de muerte fetal cuando un feto muere dentro del útero con un peso mayor de 500 gramos y/o con un desarrollo gestacional mayor de 22 semanas; es decir, cuando ha alcanzado un desarrollo tal que, en condiciones óptimas, la vida fuera del útero pudiera haber sido posible. La mayoría de muertes fetales ocurren en el tercer trimestre de embarazo, y se habla de muerte fetal precoz cuando ocurre en el segundo trimestre o, de forma más precisa, cuando el peso es menor de 1000 gramos y/o el desarrollo es menor de 28 semanas. Se habla de aborto cuando el peso del embrión o feto es menor de 500 gramos y/o el desarrollo de la gestación es menor de 22 semanas. La mayoría de los abortos ocurren en el primer trimestre, y se habla de aborto tardío cuando ocurre en el segundo trimestre.

Leer el artículo completo en Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA

Stillbirth is typically defined as fetal death at or after 20 to 28 weeks of pregnancy. It results in a baby born without signs of life. A stillbirth can result in the feeling of guilt in the mother. The term is in contrast to miscarriage which is an early pregnancy loss and live birth where the baby is born alive, even if it dies shortly thereafter. Often the cause is unknown. Causes may include pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and birth complications, problems with the placenta or umbilical cord, birth defects, infections such as malaria, and poor health in the mother. Risk factors include a mother's age over 35, first pregnancy, smoking, drug use, use of assisted reproductive technology. Stillbirth maybe suspected when no fetal movement is felt. Confirmation is by ultrasound. Worldwide prevention of most stillbirths is possible with improved health systems. About half of stillbirths occur during childbirth, with this being more common in the developing than developed world. Otherwise depending on how far along the pregnancy is, medications may be used to start labor or a type of surgery known as dilation and evacuation may be carried out. Following a stillbirth, women are at higher risk of another one; however, most subsequent pregnancies do not have similar problems. Depression, financial loss, and family breakdown are known complications. Worldwide in 2015 there were about 2.6 million stillbirths that occurred after 28 weeks of pregnancy (about 1 for every 45 births). They occur most commonly in the developing world, particularly South Asia and sub Saharan Africa. In the United States for every 167 births there is one stillbirth. Rates of stillbirth in the United States have decreased by about 2/3rds since the 1950s.

Leer el artículo completo en Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA