| 1 Maternal Risk Factors Associated with Infection-Related Stillbirths, Posokhova SP*, Nitochko KO and Kucherenko OU Generally, stillbirth is only experienced in about 1 out of every 200 pregnancies. Most stillbirths occur before delivery, however, up to 14% of all stillbirths do occur during the delivery period. Infec- tion is an important cause of stillbirths worldwide: in low-income and middle-income countries, 50% of stillbirths or more are probably caused by infection. Infection may cause stillbirth by a number of mechanisms, including direct infection, placental damage, and severe maternal illness. A large variety of organisms have been associated with stillbirth, including many bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. |