Medical Questions & Answers

Question: Why are some children stillborn?
The child within the womb receives its nourishment via the placenta. The positive as well as negative matter within the mother’s blood reaches the child on account of blood circulation. The placenta tries to prevent the entry of harmful substances but there are certain conditions where it cannot be successful in doing so.
If the mother suffers from any major illness eg. any disease, or contagious disease, malaria or sexually transmitted disease, this may adversely affect the child and it may be born lifeless, either prematurely or even after a full term. Too much medication or exposure to chemicals also harm the foetus.

A fall sustained due to slipping or an accident may cause the placenta to be disengaged. The child stops receiving oxygen and dies. Symptoms such as high blood pressure or edema can have the same effect. The placenta starts separating. The mother starts bleeding. The child is born dead. If a timely warning is received, an emergency Caesarean operation may be carried out and, if the child is fully developed, it may be possible to save its life.

Rh incompatibility (where the mother is Rh-ve and the child Rh+ve — Erythroblastocis foetalis) is also responsible for still births.

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