Lying on back linked to risk of stillbirth

Women who lie on their backs in the last three months of pregnancy may have a higher risk of stillbirth, research suggests.

The study found that lying on the back leads unborn babies to adopt a more dormant or inactive state, possibly caused by receiving lower levels of oxygen.

These lower oxygen levels cause the foetus to move “to a low oxygen consuming state”, while the baby’s heart rate is also affected, according to the study, published in the Journal of Physiology.