Definition of Stillbirth

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Stillbirth: The tragic birth of a dead baby, the delivery of a fetus that has died before birth. There is no possibility of resuscitation. The word "stillbirth" is a fusion of "still" in the now-obsolete sense of "dead" and "birth" = dead birth.

The distinction between a stillbirth and a miscarriage is arbitrary. The dividing line is variously set at 20 to 24 weeks of gestation. Before that time it is a miscarriage (also called a spontaneous abortion). After that time it is a stillbirth.

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