stillbirth

American  

[stil-burth] / ˈstɪlˌbɜrθ /

noun

• stillbirths
  plural

1. the birth of a dead child or organism.

2. a fetus dead at birth.

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stillbirth British  

/ ˈstɪlˌbɜːθ /

noun

1. birth of a dead fetus or baby

2. a stillborn fetus or baby

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stillbirth Cultural  

1. The birth of a fetus that has died; particularly, birth of a fetus that has died in the uterus at a stage in development when an infant could survive on its own if born healthy.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• stillbirths
  plural

Etymology

Origin of stillbirth

First recorded in 1745–55; still ¹ + birth

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stillbirth stillbirths

Each stillbirth was investigated and an independent review commissioned into 11 cases.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Kelsey Parker, the widow of The Wanted singer Tom Parker, has welcomed a baby after last year announcing a "devastating" stillbirth.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

Eleanor, 27, from Faringdon, Oxfordshire, said her 20-week scan detected she was at a higher risk of complications including growth restriction, pre-eclampsia and stillbirth, but she was not closely monitored.

From BBC ● Mar. 19, 2026

She compared the pain she endured to the grief she felt after experiencing a stillbirth.

From Slate ● Jan. 30, 2026

I told her it was a stillbirth baby.

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

The Welsh government said it was considering the call for national targets to reduce stillbirths and neonatal deaths as part of "wider work to improve maternity and neonatal safety and outcomes".

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Documents also said since the review "there have, regrettably, been a further four term stillbirths from April 2026 and July 2026 and a further three in August 2026".

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Since the report, a further seven stillbirths have occurred, including three last month.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Numbers recorded in the official documents show there were 52 stillbirths and two miscarriages at the home, more than 40 of them during Stannard's regime.

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026

Of eleven live births and two premature stillbirths, only two children were alive at the time of the government agent's visit.

From The Pivot of Civilization by Margaret Sanger