THE SCIENCE OF STILLBIRTH

Dr Alexander Heazell, clinical director of the Tommy’s Stillbirth Research Centre in Manchester, explains what we know about why it happens

Stillbirth is hugely under-researched compared with other areas of medicine, and even other areas of baby loss – there are around 3,000 published research papers on stillbirth, 30,000 on preeclampsia and nearer 90,000 on ovarian cancer, for example. While we know that cancer is caused by cell mutation, stillbirth isn’t the result of any one particular problem or disease, so we need to find the causes before we can develop tests and treatments. We do know that many preventable stillbirths are caused by growth restriction, which is in turn caused by a problem with the placenta – the organ that provides babies with the oxygen and nutrients that they need in the womb. Here in Manchester, we’re focusing on research into the placenta, among other things, and we’re starting with women who we can identify as being at high-risk. We use advanced scanning techniques to examine the placenta and the aim is to develop a test that can show if a baby is at risk. Until we do, the advice to women is to get to know your baby’s movement patterns and, if you notice a reduction in your baby’s movement, consult your midwife or local maternity unit immediately.