A stillbirth is the death of a fetus while it is still in the uterus. To distinguish it from a miscarriage, there is often a minimum fetal weight that qualifies it as a stillbirth, but this varies from place to place. If the fetus exits the vagina with vital signs but still dies soon afterwards, that is not a stillbirth, but a live birth and infant mortality. The death of a fetus in utero may or may not induce labor immediately, but almost certainly will within the following two week period. In most cases, there is no danger to the health of the mother. Most stillbirths occur at or near full term.
Several underlying conditions can lead to a stillbirth, such as infection, diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, drug use, trauma, radiation sickness, and defects of the fetus itself.