Subsequent birth outcomes after an unexplained stillbirth: preliminary population-based retrospective cohort study

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine whether women who have experienced an unexplained stillbirth have a higher risk of adverse perinatal outcomes in subsequent births. We compared 316 subsequent births to women with a previous unexplained stillbirth, with 3160 births to women with no previous history of stillbirth, matched by year of birth, in the period 1987-1997, from the South Australian perinatal database, using logistic regression analysis. There was no increase in the rate of stillbirth and no statistically significant increase in the rate of perinatal death (OR 1.62 [95%CI 0.63-4.20]) or neonatal death, although larger studies are needed to confirm this. However, after adjusting for age, parity, and hospital category of birth, women who had a previous stillbirth had increased incidences in subsequent births of abnormal glucose tolerance or gestational diabetes (a fourfold increase); induction of labour and elective Caesarean section; fetal distress and postpartum haemorrhage; and forceps and emergency Caesarean delivery and preterm birth, which were independent of induction of labour. Gestational age at birth and birthweight were also significantly reduced, suggesting a need for close monitoring of their future pregnancies.