stillbirth

American  

[stil-burth] / ˈstɪlˌbɜrθ /

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of stillbirth

First recorded in 1745–55; still ¹ + birth

Example Sentences

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

From Slate • Jan. 30, 2026

The report authors said that this target had been missed, but that a 36% reduction in stillbirth and neonatal deaths during this time - to 4.84 per 1,000 total births – was still "significant".

From BBC • Jan. 15, 2026

She’s twice turned to nonfiction, first for a 2008 memoir of stillbirth and parenthood, now for “A Long Game: Notes on Writing Fiction.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

In Northern Ireland, the death of a baby after 24 weeks is officially recorded as a stillbirth but there is no formal recognition of loss before 24 weeks, as there is in England.

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025

The baby’s stillbirth might have remained a private tragedy for Marsha and her family had it not been for a nosy neighbor who had long been suspicious of the Colbeys.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson