Understanding Sudden Infant Loss: Possible Causes & Umbilical Cord Issues

Question
Well my friend was expected to have her baby May 10th...well on the 9th she went in with contractions, thinking she was going to have it. When they got to the hospital they could not find the heartbeat.  The baby did not make it.  My friend said the baby was heathy.  What could have caused the baby's death? She was in her 9th month...i mean why would it just die all of a sudden??  There was also mention of calcium being on the outside of the umbilical cord, what does that mean?

Answer
Dear Shannon,

I am sorry to hear of your friend's loss. It is impossible to say what caused the loss so late in the pregnancy. Though somewhat rare, this does occasionally happen. The calcification you refer to would likely indicate a premature aging of the placenta and umbilical cord (which is made from placental blood vessels). Placenta calcification refers to calcium deposits that appear on the placenta. These deposits of calcium can cause certain small parts of the placenta to die. The calcium deposits may also cause some parts of the placenta to be replaced with fibrous tissue. The calcium deposits can also obstruct parts of the placenta with clots of maternal blood. They can also harden or block the maternal blood vessels. In most cases, placental calcification does not affect the functioning of the placenta, and the fetus is generally not harmed. Noting some calcification at the very end of a pregnancy would not necessarily be abnormal, however when calcification is found early on in the pregnancy, it can be an indication that the placenta is aging faster than it should. Smoking during pregnancy may be a factor in increased placental calcification as well.

The only way for your friend to possibly know for sure what may have happened (if doctors are not noting any firm cause) would be to request a fetal autopsy.

I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.

Brenda