Term	Foetal Death
Synonym	Foetal Loss
Related Term
Source of Definition
Short Definition
Statistical Activity	Demography

Definition
Death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of gestation, by either spontaneous abortion (miscarriage), induced abortion or stillbirth. Death is indicated by the fact that after such separation the foetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord or definite movement of voluntary muscles.

The three major categories of foetal death recommended by the World Health Organisation are:

1. early foetal deaths at less than 20 completed weeks of gestation
2. intermediate foetal deaths at 20 or more, but less than 28, weeks of gestation
3. late foetal deaths at 28 weeks or more of gestation.