What You Need to Know About Stillbirth: OBGYN Shares Workup, Prevention & Planning Another Pregnancy

While stillbirth only occurs in 1/160 pregnancies, patients who experience a fetal demise have many questions and are looking for answers. This week, the Doctors Bjorkman share what to expect at the hospital if you've had a stillbirth, the recommended workup and testing, as well as strategies for prevention. They also discuss the current data on if there is a "best time" to get pregnant again after a stillbirth.

This week is part 2 of 2 in a DEEP DIVE into stillbirth or pregnancy loss after 20 weeks.

0:00 - Intro
1:55 - What to expect at the hospital if you have a fetal demise
4:30 - Initial Workup
5:37 - Initial Tests
8:12 - Autopsy
9:54 - Genetic Testing
10:45 - Prevention & Antenatal Testing
14:04 - Kick Counts
15:39 - Early Delivery
17:22 - How long should you wait till the next pregnancy?

Intro Music: A WAY FOR ME - Nicolai Heidlas by Chem Ocampo

Keywords: pregnancy loss, infant death, fetal demise, still birth, count the kicks

[Swee_tay]

I had a coworker at a daycare I worked at. She went on maternity leave and never came back. She lost her baby and then lost her battle to depression. Please take care of your mental health.

[kristinaupton]

I just had my stillborn baby at 36 weeks in December of 2022. These videos couldn’t have come at a better time. Thank you for taking the time and talking about the hardest thing anyone would ever have to go through with pregnancy. ❤️

[cookie]

My sister and I both had stillbirths with our first pregnancy’s. (Her around 38 weeks and mine after 28 weeks) Hers was from the clotting disorder she didn’t know she had and mine was from becoming sick with parvovirus b-19, something you usually catch as a child, and we never even knew it. The main symptom is known as “slap cheeked syndrome” where the cheeks are red. I have rosacea and working as a nurse during Covid outbreaks, my cheeks were always red from that and the masks. The virus doesn’t really affect the baby unless it’s in 2nd trimester- it causes hydrops fetalis in the baby (fluid swelling in the major organs) and I caught it unknowingly the last couple weeks of 2nd trimester. She was still one of the most beautiful babies ever and we miss her everyday.
WHAT HELPED AFTER was pumping the milk I had come in for as long as I could. It’s healing, but bittersweet. I had over 150 bags over 2.5-3 months and I donated all but a few bags to use for breast milk jewelry 💛
No luck since then with becoming pregnant, had an early miscarriage (probably about 3-4 weeks along) 5 months after the stillbirth and since. Still trying, and I’ve started tracking when I’m ovulating to help out. Baby dust to everyone! And hugs to those who have also gone through this 💛

[ashlieleavelle]

I was a Nanny for an Obgyn. She came home one day crying. She had a patient had a fetal demise at 30 weeks, and it shook her up as a Doctor. She was so caring to her patients.

[maegsunflow]

You guys set a perfect example of how to communicate with patients who are going through this, just in the factual but empathetic way you approach this topic. Your patients are so blessed to have such wonderful healthcare providers. Thank you so much for discussing a topic that is so taboo (but shouldn’t be).

[maryskrzypczynski]

Thank you for the gentle way you approached this topic. I've lost 2 babies and was scared to watch this but I believe it provided some good information in a way that didn't scare me or give me more anxiety

[christa]

My cousin lost her baby at 32 weeks. She went for her normal 32 week sonar check up and the baby had no heartbeat. She had a c-section. The cause was undiagnosed pre-eclampsia. One of the many sad things are that she told the Ob-gyn that something is wrong and she was told that she is paranoid.

[ally]

I lost a baby girl in October 2021 to SIDS just 6 days after she was born. She was fine beautiful and healthy. I still just don’t understand. I fell pregnant 3 months after after we lost her . My rainbow baby girl is 4 months old

[moraakiage]

Such an emotional topic… thanks for talking about it

[meluvfriends]

Thank you so much for these tough videos, could you do a video on unexpected early delivery/babies? A friend just delivered at 23 and 6 due to early dilation causing a membrane prolapse, and she was shocked at all of the interventions that were done to try to keep babe in etc

[elizac.]

Thank you. Could you please do an episode/serie on twins and pregnancy complications? Thank you

[simonesutton]

This was super helpful! I wish I watched this sooner!! It’s been almost a year since my late stillbirth. I’m better informed now for my next pregnancy! Thank you!

[disneyprincessintraining]

The death of babies was the worst part of my time working in L&D. Most of that job was amazing, but hearing and seeing the anguish of parents losing their beautiful baby was horrible. I always went home crying after a day with an infant loss. I can’t imagine how horrible it must be for the people who actually endured that loss

[kitkat]

Thank you so much for acknowledging the risks with antenatal testing. I feel like many would just brush them under the rug.

[srilatasircar]

Thank you for doing this series on stillbirth.

[rebeccagatlin]

I’ve been diagnosed with antiphospholipid syndrome after two losses. Can you talk more about pregnancy after APS diagnosis? I feels terrifying to try again.

[alyzeiberries]

Thank you so much Doctors!!!! Was really helpful❤

[donikatod]

Is there an increase in the instances of stillbirth in the past year or so? What do professionals in the field observe?

[sophearlim]

Can you make a video for women mental health postpartum after infant loss

[Sumaya]

I know this is off topic but I have a question for Kirk, since he is a pediatrician. My LO is now 4 weeks old and has a tongue tie. Every pediatrician feels differently regarding this topic and would like to know his thoughts on it in general. I really dont want to put my baby through it but he's suffering severe reflux amongst other things. Just trying to find as much information as possible before making such a big decision. Thanks in advance!