Table 1.
Maternal infections and stillbirths
| Organism | Maternal disease | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Spirochetes | ||
| T pallidum | Syphilis | Major cause of SB when maternal prevalence is high |
| B burgdorferi | Lyme disease | Confirmed, but not a common cause of SB |
| B recurrentis | Tick-borne | Of unknown importance as a cause of SB |
| Relapsing fever | ||
| Leptospira interrogans | Leptospirosis | Confirmed, but not a common cause of SB |
| Protozoa | ||
| T brucei | Trypanosomiasis | Not a certain cause of SB |
| T cruzi | Chagas disease | Confirmed as a cause of SB in South America but of unknown importance |
| P falciparum | Malaria | Likely an important cause of SB in newly endemic areas or in newly infected women |
| P vivax | ||
| T gondii | Toxoplasmosis | Confirmed, but not a common cause of SB |
| C burnetti | Q fever | Confirmed as a cause of SB but of unknown importance |
| Viruses | ||
| Parvovirus (B-19) | Erythema infectiosum | Confirmed as a cause of SB and likely the most common viral etiologic agent |
| Coxsackie A & B | Various presentations | Confirmed as causes of SB and may be an important contributor |
| Echovirus | Various presentations | Confirmed as a cause of SB but of unknown importance |
| Enterovirus | Various presentations | Confirmed as a cause of SB but of unknown importance |
| Polio virus | Polio | Historically a cause of SB but since routine vaccination no longer seen in developed countries |
| Varicella-zoster | Chickenpox | Confirmed, but not a common cause of SB |
| Rubella | German measles | Confirmed, but no longer a cause of SB in developed countries |
| Mumps | Parotitis | Possibly historically, but no longer a cause of SB in developed countries |
| Rubeola | Measles | Possibly a cause of SB historically |
| Cytomegalovirus | Generally asymptomatic in adults | Rarely if ever a cause of SB |
| SARS virus | Respiratory illness | Case reports |
| Variola | smallpox | Historically a cause of SB but no longer seen |
| Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus | Lymphocytic choriomeningitis | Not confirmed as a cause of SB and of unknown importance |
| HIV | AIDS | Associated with SB, but not likely causative |
| Bacteria | ||
| Escherichia coli | Generally asymptomatic | Confirmed and probably the most common organism associated with SB |
| Group B streptococcus | Generally asymptomatic | Confirmed as a common cause of SB |
| Klebsiella | Generally asymptomatic | Confirmed as a common cause of SB |
| Enterococcus | Generally asymptomatic | Confirmed |
| Ureaplasma urealyticum | Generally asymptomatic | Confirmed |
| Mycoplasma hominus | Generally asymptomatic | Confirmed |
| Bacteroidaceae | Generally asymptomatic | Confirmed |
| Listeria monocytogenes | Listerosis | Confirmed, generally transmitted transplacentally |
| Other bacteria including brucellosis, clostridia, agrobacterium radiobacter, salmonella, pseudomonas, etc. | Suggested by case reports | |
| Chlamydia trachomatis | Pelvic infection | Suggested by case reports |
| Neiserria gonorrhoeae | Pelvic infection | Suggested by case reports |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | Tuberculosis | Confirmed by case reports, but rare in developed countries |
| Fungi | ||
| Candida albicans | Thrush, vaginitis | Confirmed as a cause of SB by case reports |
Data from Goldenberg RL, Thompson C. The infectious origins of stillbirth. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;189:863.