We are deeply sorry you are walking this road of stillbirth, where so many others have walked.
Deciding whether or not to pursue answers about the cause of your baby’s stillbirth is deeply personal and can be a complicated decision to make, especially while processing the shock and immense grief of this life-altering experience.
Unfortunately, many families never find out why their baby was stillborn. Some families opt for no testing or partial testing, others ask for every test to be done, and still receive no answer. Some do receive a cause of death, yet wonder if the diagnosis was accurate and complete, and wish to seek a second opinion. In all of these cases, important questions about the cause of a baby’s stillbirth can persist.
Although every family is different, many are relieved if they are able to learn why their baby was stillborn. Learning why a baby was stillborn can have important implications for future prenatal care, understanding risks of recurrence, as well as bringing some emotional relief to families.
Read the stories of other families here.
Connect with others seeking answers after a loss in the Placenta Related Stillbirth Support and Education Facebook Group. Join us for monthly meetings (typically the 2nd Wednesday evening of the month) with Dr. Kliman on the Clubhouse audio app, search for Measure the Placenta.
Read a wonderful guide for navigating stillbirth and infant loss by one of our loss mom team members.
Many families are surprised to learn that insights into the cause of a stillbirth can often be determined years later, even when no original testing was done.
If you would like a placental pathologist to look at your baby’s placenta, this usually can be done even many years after a stillbirth occurs. Placentas of stillborn babies are routinely sent to the pathology departments of hospitals where the baby was stillborn, and sections of the placenta are typically preserved for many years. This is standard procedure in most hospitals, even for babies who did not have testing. Placenta samples can be sent upon request, and along with medical records and ultrasound images, a placental pathologist may be able to give more answers.
There are not many placental pathologists in the United States, and most placentas of stillborn babies are never examined by a placental pathologist.
If you had a placental report or autopsy done on your baby, it is possible the report came back saying “cause of death unknown”. One reason this can happen is because the pathologist doing the autopsy or placenta review is a general pathologist and not a placental pathologist. While general pathologists are highly trained to look at the human body for causes of death, they are often not trained to look thoroughly at the placenta, and can miss important information. Yet 50% of stillbirths in the United States may be a result of problems with the placenta. This cause of stillbirth is unfortunately often overlooked by many general pathologists, along with many other causes of stillbirth related to the placenta.
If you want to learn whether the placenta can reveal the cause of stillbirth
The researchers listed below support placenta measurement and will examine placenta slides after a stillbirth to help diagnose a cause. Contact them for more details.
Harvey Kliman, MD, PhD
Dr. Harvey Kliman at Yale University has examined placenta tissues for over 2,300 stillborn babies, and he is able to identify a likely cause of stillbirth in about 90% of cases sent to him. Many of the cases he looks at have an undiagnosed cause of stillbirth, while others would like a second opinion or more information. Dr. Kliman is often able to give recommendations for future prenatal care, based on what he learns. Visit this link on his website to initiate this process. For patients in the United States, this is often covered by insurance. You can Research Assistant email Kristin Milano with questions or call (203) 785-7642.
Learn more about Dr. Kliman’s placental review process on the PUSH Blog’s Finding Answers After a Stillbirth or Other Pregnancy Loss.
Mana Parast, MD, PhD
Dr. Mana Parast of University of California San Diego, states that the focus of her research group is on understanding the development and function of the placenta and how it impacts both fetal growth and development, and maternal health. Her interests lie in understanding placental pathology in the setting of preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, and stillbirth. She uses a combination of stem cells and primary placental cells to develop “placenta-in-a-dish” models for understanding both normal and abnormal placental development.
Email Mana Parast
