Stillbirth: What Happens Next in the Hospital and in the Days After

If you’ve just learned that your baby has died, you may be in shock, and you may be asked to make decisions faster than anyone should have to. This guide explains what typically happens, so you know what choices exist and can ask for the time and the care you need. Hospitals differ, and so do individual situations, so treat this as a map to take to your care team, not a script.

How is a stillbirth diagnosed?

A stillbirth is the loss of a pregnancy at or after 20 weeks, according to the CDC. ACOG explains that sometimes it’s noticed when a pregnant person realizes the baby has stopped moving or when a provider can’t find a heartbeat at a visit. An ultrasound is usually used to check, and if no heartbeat can be found, it means the baby has died. Most stillbirths happen before labor begins, according to March of Dimes; a smaller number happen during labor and birth.

Do I have to deliver right away?

The options depend on your health and how far along you are. ACOG says you and your provider will discuss the best options for delivery: a procedure called dilation and evacuation (D&E) can be considered in the second trimester, and later in the second trimester and in the third, labor induction may be an option. March of Dimes says most people have labor induced soon after learning of the baby’s death, and MedlinePlus notes that a provider may induce labor or, in some situations, use surgery (cesarean delivery).

ACOG’s 2025 guidance for clinicians says to offer patients options to deliver and see their baby and not to rush the decision. So it’s reasonable to ask: What are my options? What are the risks and benefits of each? How much time do I have to decide? Can my partner or support person stay with me?

Can I see and hold my baby?

Yes, if you want to, and you’re not obliged to. March of Dimes says you might want to spend private time with your baby and loved ones, name your baby, hold them, and take part in cultural or religious traditions, such as a baptism. ACOG’s toolkit tells clinicians to invite memory-making, such as photographs and handprints, and to encourage parents to call their baby by name. An NIH working group’s 2024 recommendations add that families may be offered information in advance on what the baby might look like at birth, a cuddle cot if one is available, and parenting activities such as reading the baby a book, bathing, or dressing them, along with options for mementos and photography.

Some parents want all of this; others find it too much, or decide differently as time passes. Ask whether the hospital can keep photos or mementos for you to decide about later. Health professionals are advised to use the word “baby” rather than “fetus,” to use the baby’s name if the parents have named them, and to treat a baby who has died as they would a living baby, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

Will anyone try to find out why?

The care team will probably offer tests, though these are your decision. ACOG says the most useful tests are an evaluation of the placenta, an autopsy, and genetic testing, and that it’s normal to want to find a cause. ACOG’s guidance to clinicians says to offer testing options gently and with consent, and to frame all testing as optional and collaborative. March of Dimes adds that a provider will check your baby, the placenta, and the umbilical cord, and may recommend tests such as amniocentesis before delivery if a genetic condition or infection is suspected.

An autopsy can be very hard to think about. The NICHD working group notes that parents, shocked and distressed after a stillbirth, may have difficulty deciding about one, and recommends that clinicians emphasize that the baby will be treated with care. It also notes that autopsies are performed adequately in only about 20 percent of stillbirth cases and that costs can be a barrier, so it’s reasonable to ask how much testing costs and who pays. In many cases, the cause remains unknown even after testing, according to MedlinePlus.

What happens to my body?

You’re recovering from a birth as well as from a loss. ACOG’s toolkit points out that, even after a loss, in the coming days your body may still produce milk, and recommends clinicians talk with you about your options. Ask the team what to expect with bleeding, pain, and milk, what symptoms need a call or urgent care, and what support is available.

What about follow-up care?

ACOG’s toolkit notes that follow-up visits are medically necessary but can feel emotionally daunting, and encourages flexible follow-up plans. The follow-up appointment is also when you can get results from any tests, ask what the results mean for a future pregnancy, and talk about how you’re coping. ACOG’s FAQ says you might get counseling for yourself, for you and your partner, or for your whole family.

What paperwork comes with a stillbirth?

Rules vary by state. The NICHD working group refers to a stillbirth or fetal death certificate and recommends expanding awareness of legal options after stillbirth, such as memorial birth certificates. Ask the hospital’s social worker or bereavement coordinator what documents are filed, what you can request, and how to make arrangements for your baby’s body; a funeral director can also explain your options.

For the details of how this works, see our guides on birth and death certificates after a stillbirth and burial, cremation, and funeral options after a miscarriage or stillbirth.

Who can help emotionally?

There’s no single way to grieve a stillbirth. Our guide on grief after miscarriage or stillbirth explains what research shows and what can help, and partners and pregnancy loss addresses the grief that’s often overlooked. Free, confidential help is available any time:

• National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262)
• Postpartum Support International HelpLine: 1-800-944-4773 (call or text); it isn’t an emergency line
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 if you’re thinking about harming yourself

Will I be able to have another baby?

March of Dimes says most people who have a stillbirth and become pregnant again have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby, and that a provider can run tests to try to find what caused the loss and help prevent another one. The decision about whether and when to try again is yours, and it’s okay for it to take time.

See also pregnancy after loss and remembering a baby who was lost.

What questions can I bring to the hospital?

• What are my choices for delivery, and how long can I take to decide?
• Can I spend time with my baby, and for how long? Can my family be with me?
• Is a cuddle cot, photographer, or bereavement doula available?
• What testing do you recommend, what does each involve, and what will it cost?
• Who will go over the results with me, and when?
• What should I expect physically, including milk coming in, and who do I call?
• What paperwork is needed, and who can help with arrangements for my baby?
• What follow-up and emotional support do you offer?

For time away from work, see taking time off after a pregnancy loss, and for talking with other children in the family, see helping children understand a miscarriage or stillbirth.

For how autopsies generally work, see Autopsy explained: when it’s done, who pays, and how long results take.

This is general educational information, not medical advice. Care after stillbirth varies by hospital and by situation - your obstetric care team can address your specific circumstances. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.