Minimising your risk of stillbirth

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Safer Baby Bundle (SBB) is a national initiative aimed at reducing the number of stillborn babies. Using evidence-based information a number of resources for pregnant women and their families have been developed which includes ways you can decrease your chance of stillbirth.

For more information visit these websites:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources:

Throughout your pregnancy your midwife or doctor will talk to you about ways you can decrease your risk of stillbirth. This includes:

Smoking Cessation

Smoking in pregnancy is one of the major contributors to stillbirth. In pregnancy all women are asked about smoking and vaping.

Every cigarette has an immediate negative effect on the baby. Carbon monoxide replaces some of the oxygen in the blood, and nicotine also reduces the flow of blood through the umbilical cord.

Quitting at any time during pregnancy reduces the harm to the baby. Collaboration between the woman and the healthcare professional regarding how challenging this can be and what advice and support is available is vital to support quitting.

To find out more about smoking cessation support go to:

Improving screening for fetal growth restriction

All pregnancies are different. Regardless of your size, what important is a healthy rate of growth for your baby. Through pregnancy:

Assess: Early in pregnancy your risk for fetal growth restriction (FGR) will be assessed. For women at a higher risk of FGR it may be necessary to monitor the growth of your baby with regular ultrasound. Measure: At each antenatal visit from 24-28 weeks onwards, your baby’s growth will be measured and plotted on a growth chart.

Monitor: If your baby is growing slower than expected, increased monitoring may be required, and any concerns will be discussed with you.

To find out more about screening for fetal growth restriction go to:

Improving awareness of decreased fetal movements

Around half of all women who had a stillbirth noticed their baby’s movements had slowed down or stopped.

Baby’s movements can be described as anything from a kick or a flutter, to a swish or a roll. This movement may begin to be felt between weeks 16 and 24 of pregnancy, regardless of the lie of the placenta. Baby’s movements should be felt right up until they are born, even during labour.

There is no set number of normal movements. Women should be encouraged to get to know their baby’s movements and understand what is normal for them and their baby.

In any instance, a woman should be advised that if they are concerned about a reduction or change in the baby’s movements, they should contact their midwife or doctor immediately.

Your Baby’s Movements Matter

Improving awareness of maternal safe sleeping position

After 28 weeks of pregnancy, lying on your back presses on major blood vessels which can reduce blood flow to the uterus and the oxygen supply to the baby. The starting sleep position (both for daytime naps and at night) can be on either the left or the right side – either side is fine. if they wake up on their back, that’s quite normal and to just roll over on their side at that time.

Side Sleeping – Clinical Excellence Commission (nsw.gov.au)

Optimal timing of birth

For all pregnancies, there’s an optimal time for a baby to be born. If the pregnancy is healthy and progressing without any issues, then waiting for labour to begin on its own is the ideal plan.

Research has shown that every week that the baby continues to grow in utero makes a difference to both their short-term and long-term health and developmental outcomes. If a planned birth (by induction of labour or caesarean section) is needed, then ideally this should be planned as close to 40 weeks as possible.

If there are health concerns that might increase the risk of stillbirth, health care professionals should discuss how the timing of birth might reduce the risks, with the pregnancy continuing if it is safe for both the woman and the baby.

Time of Birth Patient Brochure