Stillbirth risk
Bottom line
While the number of women at any given age with a live baby after pregnancy varies considerably by age, the ratio of still births to live births is reasonably constant. Up to the age of 40 the risk of stillbirth is between 1 in 170 and 1 in 200. At age 40 and above it is about 1 in 100.
Data sources
- Office for National Statistics, Birth Statistics: Review of the Registrar General on Births and Patterns of Family Building in England & Wales 2006
What the sources tell us
The number of live and still births varies considerably according to maternal age at birth. The ratio between them appears to be reasonably constant.
Figure 1: Women in UK experiencing live birth or stillbirth by age in 2006
Give us the odds
Up to the age of 40 the risk of stillbirth is between 1 in 170 and 1 in 200. At age 40 and above it is about 1 in 100.
Figure 2: Risk of stillbirth to pregnant woman in UK by age
Comment
These risks are high or low depending on your point of view.