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Stillbirth is the term used to describe a baby which is born dead if it has already reached 24 of the normal 40 weeks of gestation. If a baby dies before it reaches 24 weeks of gestation, the loss of the baby is known as a miscarriage rather than a stillbirth.
The timescale of 24 weeks is used as this indicates the time at which a baby would probably survive if it was born, although at 24 weeks, the baby would still require a lot of intensive care in hospital.
In approximately 50% of all stillbirths, the cause of death of the baby cannot be established; however some of the known causes include:
Birth Defects
Placenta Problems
Maternal Illnesses
If the baby has a severe malformation it may prevent it from surviving the full 40 weeks of gestation until birth.
The placenta and the umbilical cord provide the baby with a constant supply of blood, oxygen and other nutrients. If there is a problem with this system working correctly, the baby may not be able to survive until birth.
Illnesses, infections and conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, rhesus factor disease, toxoplasmosis, Group B Streptococcus, listeriosis, German measles (rubella) and preeclampsia in the mother can all cause a stillbirth to occur.
If the stillbirth has been caused as a result of sub standard care during pregnancy or during the birth of your baby, you may be able to make a claim for compensation. Stillbirth compensation claims are very difficult claims to deal with; however and you will require advice from a solicitor who has expertise in handling this specific type of case. At Thompsons Solicitors we have teams of clinical negligence lawyers experienced in dealing with all types of medical negligence cases and in particular, with stillbirth cases.
If you or anyone you know has suffered from any form of clinical negligence, telephone us now for accurate claim advice.
There are strict time limits in place to make any injury claim. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.
Thompsons Solicitors are experts in all matters relating to clinical negligence and will be able to advise you as to whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Their specialist clinical negligence lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have.
Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online compensation claim forms.
For more information about clinical negligence visit our Information Page.
For support if you have been affected by stillbirth, visit the SANDS website.