Toll of child’s death

Jun 8 2008 by Ken Oxley, Sunday Sun

A STILLBIRTH is one where a baby is already dead when it is born.

Legally, a stillborn baby is born after the 24th week of pregnancy and does not show any signs of life at any point after birth.

According to figures from the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society — SANDS — here in the UK there is one stillbirth or death of a baby in the very early weeks of life for every 100 healthy births.

Worryingly, in around 70 per cent of stillbirths, the death is classified as unexplained, although there can be many causes.

Among the most common are: congenital malformation, placental problems, pre-existing maternal medical conditions, pre-eclampsia, birth complications and infections.

And research by SANDS has also revealed it is more frequent among certain groups.

These include women over-35, those who have specific medical conditions like diabetes or hypertension, mothers who smoke, those who are obese, mothers living in deprived areas and mothers from ethnic minority groups.

SANDS was set up during the 1980s to support parents of stillborn children through the difficult task of rebuilding their lives, as well as to raise awareness of the condition and promote research into causes, in a bid to cut the number of cases.

The charity has a dedicated helpline for anyone who has been affected by the death of a baby — parents, relatives, health care staff, employers of a bereaved parent or anyone who needs help, advice or support.

For details, call 0207-436 5881 from 9.30am-5.30pm Monday to Friday, email helpline@uk-sands.org, or visit he website at www.uk-sands.org