WOMEN whose mothers had a stillbirth are not at a higher risk of losing a baby in the same way, according to Scottish scientists who have examined genetic predisposition to stillbirth for the first time.
Researchers from Aberdeen University studied data from more than 26,000 pairs of mothers and daughters to determine whether there is a link.
Read more: SNP MP tells of 'mistakes leading to stillbirth' which still haunt her
Previous evidence has suggested that placental dysfunction, which includes pre-eclampsia, is inherited from mother to daughter.
The researchers found 384 daughters had a history of one or more stillbirth, with 26,404 having only live births.
The study found no statistically significant association between mothers’ history of stillbirth or miscarriage and stillbirth in daughters.
The research has been published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and gynaecology.
In Scotland there were 222 stillbirths in Scotland in 2018, according to National Records of Scotland data, down from more than 700 in 1976.
The rate has been falling and in 2017 the rate of stillbirths and infant deaths within 28 days of delivery was the lowest in the UK, at 4.72 per 1,000 births.
Read more: What it feels like...to have a stillborn child
The data studied came from the Aberdeen Maternity and Neonatal Databank, a population-based database that holds routinely collected obstetric and fertility related data from 1949 to current day for all deliveries and reproductive outcomes from Aberdeen maternity hospital.
Dr Andrea Woolner, a clinical lecturer from the University of Aberdeen who led the study, said: “The objective of this study was to determine whether a history of stillbirth in mothers is associated with an increased risk of stillbirth in daughters.
“Using the fantastic resource that is the Aberdeen Maternity and Neonatal Databank we were able to analyse a large number of women and daughter pairs and their birth outcomes.
“From our analyses, there does not appear to be an increased risk of stillbirth in daughters whose mothers had a history of stillbirth or miscarriage. To our knowledge, this is the first observational study to investigate stillbirth risk transmitted from mother to daughter."
In most cases stillbirth occurs among otherwise healthy babies, with no explanation.
Read more: Neonatal death rate at NHS Tayside the third highest in UK
Complications with the placenta can be a factor by disrupting the blood supply and nourishment to the baby.
Other risk factors include pre-eclampsia – a condition that causes high blood pressure in the mother - as well as infections that spread from mother to baby during pregnancy, or problems with the umbilical cord.
Mothers who are obese, over 35 or smoke and drink alcohol in pregnancy also have a higher incidence of stillbirth.
Dr Woolner added: “Stillbirth and miscarriage are obviously devastating for the parents and whilst many aspects remain unexplained, it is hoped research such as this can help us understand more and feed into supportive advice that can be provided to couples.”
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