Intrauterine Fetal Demise (Early & Late Miscarriage)
Also known as stillbirth or fetal death, it is defined as the fetus’s death in the mother’s body occurring between week 20 to 28 of pregnancy. The causes behind this vary from case to case and may be caused by a variety of reasons.
The fetal demise is defined as the delivery of a fetus showing no signs of life as indicated by the absence of heartbeats, breathing, pulsation of the umbilical cord or definite movements of voluntary muscles. There are numerous terms for describing fetal death, including miscarriage, early stillbirth, late stillbirth, and term stillbirth.
While the terms miscarriage and stillbirth are often used interchangeably, there is one distinct difference. Clinically speaking, stillbirth happens after the 20th week of pregnancy, while a miscarriage occurs prior to week 20.
Intrauterine fetal demise may be classified as early, late, or term stillbirth:
- Early stillbirth
Fetal death between 20 and 27 weeks of completed pregnancy
- Late stillbirth
Fetal death between 28 and 36 completed weeks of pregnancy
- Term stillbirth
Fetal death at 37 completed weeks of pregnancy weeks or later
Globally, nearly half of all cases of intrauterine fetal demise occur while the mother is giving birth. Thankfully, advances in medical technology and expertise have drastically lowered the rate of late and term stillbirths, especially compared to previous generations. However, the rate of early stillbirths has remained relatively steady over the last few decades.
Common causes of Fetal Demise include:
- Immunological Factor (anti-embryonic antibodies)
- Bacterial Infection
- Chromosomal abnormalities
- Physical trauma
- Rh factor (maternal and fetal antibody incompatibility)
- Maternal consumption of unhealthy substances (smoking and drinking)
- Growth restrictions
Diagnosis of Fetal Demise
Ultrasound is a very accurate way to diagnose fetal demise. If the fetal heartbeat is not detected during the ultrasound, the fetus can be confirmed to have died.
Antai Hospital has discovered that fetal demise or fetal death is only a symptom of the mother’s actual disease. Antai has patented technology to diagnose the cause and treatment for your condition accurately to avoid future recurrence.
In the case of fetal demise, to accurately diagnose the cause, Antai hospital will opt for a hysteroscopy to safely remove the fetus and accompanying pregnancy tissue from the mother’s body for analysis. Further examinations include examining the chromosomal abnormality of the fetus and inspection of the uterine cavity’s morphology.
We strongly advise against undergoing Dilation & Curettage procedures as they will do more unnecessary damages to your uterus lining, which may cause more future complications. Our specialized hysteroscopy safely removes the fetus without causing any harm to the mother.
As the fetus starts deteriorating in body temperature of 37 ℃, it is highly advised to quickly have the fetus removed to avoid any health complications for the mother.
Our specialized treatments shed light and give our doctors great insight into the actual causes behind fetal demise. Arrange a hysteroscopy appointment with Antai Hospital as soon as you can to get the most accurate diagnosis and treatment. Get in touch with us so that your next pregnancy journey is a healthy and smooth one.
Antai Hospital’s Commitment
Antai Hospital’s full refund policy for the miscarriage prevention treatments we provide should already be the best guarantee for a healthy pregnancy. Patients should rest assured, can and should go about their everyday life, focusing their diet on vegetables, beans, celery, and other fiber-rich foods. Besides that, an active lifestyle of yoga and swimming should also be incorporated to help relieve stress and increase blood circulation, which is beneficial for the fetus’s development and the mother’s health. With our assurance, a healthy lifestyle, and peace of mind, you can go through a healthy pregnancy with no complications.
Recurrent miscarriages are no doubt a heavy blow to the patient’s physical and mental health. All we can do is to help ease the burden and decrease your trauma, to slowly help you overcome the anxiety with the love and care that we provide at Antai Hospital.
Trust in Antai Hospital and trust in yourself, your pregnancy is our priority.