Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Special Statement: Checklists for management of pregnancies complicated by stillbirth

 Abstract

Stillbirth is one of the most common adverse pregnancy outcomes, occurring in 1 in 160 deliveries in the United States. In an effort to provide a standardized approach to the management and evaluation of stillbirth, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine developed an Obstetric Care Consensus published in March 2020, “Management of Stillbirth.” The consensus document describes detailed considerations for the acute medical management of a newly diagnosed stillbirth, including recommended initial evaluation, delivery considerations, and recommendations for postpartum care, as well as information on providing sensitive and compassionate counseling to families. In addition, the consensus document discusses the management of pregnant individuals with a history of prior stillbirth. We present simple checklists for the care of patients with stillbirth designed for site-based adaptation and implementation.