Losing a baby in the second or third trimester, sometimes called a later pregnancy or stillbirth, is a rare but deeply distressing experience. These losses often have different medical causes and recovery needs compared with early miscarriage.
What Causes Later Pregnancy Loss
Placental problems such as placental abruption or insufficiency.
Infections that reach the uterus or affect the baby (e.g., listeria, parvovirus and cytomegalovirus (CMV))
Cervical insufficiency (when the cervix opens too early)
Fetal genetic or structural abnormalities.
Maternal conditions such as pre-eclampsia, diabetes, or autoimmune diseases.
What to Expect Medically
In most cases, labour is medically induced to deliver the baby.
You’ll likely stay in the hospital and receive pain relief options.
Doctors may recommend testing of the baby or placenta to understand the cause of loss, though this is always your choice.
After delivery, you may experience light to moderate bleeding for 2–6 weeks.
Recovery and Next Steps
Physical recovery follows a similar course to postpartum healing, but emotional recovery can take much longer.
Ask about:
Autopsy or pathology results (optional)
Genetic testing and counselling.
Emotional or bereavement midwives, or community support groups.
Emotional Side
It's normal to experience waves to grief, anger, and disbelief.
Many parents describe physical reminders- milk production, postpartum bleeding- as particularly painful.
You don't have to face this alone: specialised organisations such as SANDS, Tommy's, and The Miscarriage Support offer counselling and community support after baby loss.
“I went home with nothing in my hands but a hospital bracelet.”
Key Takeaways
Later pregnancy losses are usually caused by medical or placental complications- not by anything you did.
Labour induction and postpartum recovery are a part of physical healing.
Bereavement support and specialized counseling can help healing.
Have you suffered a late stage loss and are looking for support? Sign up to test an early version of Sibyl here: https://www.sibyl.care/signup
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