Selling Sunset’s Maya Vander has shared that her stillborn baby died from a “freak accident” in the womb.
The real estate agent opened up about the tragedy during Selling Sunset, The Reunion, which aired on Netflix on Friday 6 May.
She said an autopsy report showed the baby, named Mason, had “a bad accident with the [umbilical] cord, mixed with some swallowed placenta”.
Vander first revealed she was pregnant with her third child in July 2021 and is visibly pregnant in the reality TV show’s latest season.
But in December, she shared she had gone through “the hardest day of [her] life” at 38 weeks into the pregnancy.
“I had a stillbirth at 38 weeks. I always heard of it but never imagined I’ll be part of the statistics,” she wrote on Instagram at the time.
“Instead of delivering a baby, I get to go home with a memory box… I do not wish this on anyone. What was a regular weekly checkup turned into a nightmare that I never imagined will happen to me [sic].”
Giving an update on her mental wellbeing during the reunion, Vander said she is “doing much better”.
“I think time does help. I have my husband, he’s amazing. The kids are great, and they keep me going,” she said. Vander has a son named Aiden and a daughter named Elle.
“I have work and I’m busy, so I don’t have time to sit and cry all day long. I have my moments, you know we all do, and that’s a part of grief.”
Vander said she wants to use her experience to raise awareness of stillbirth and pregnancy loss.
“I feel like I’m inspiring women and I think it helps a little bit for other women to know that they are not alone.”
Thanking her fellow Selling Sunset cast members for their support, she said “everybody was so kind”.
“And I know life happens. We’re filming reality TV; we don’t know how things will happen.”
A stillbirth is when a baby is born dead after the 24th week of pregnancy. In the UK, one in every 225 pregnancies end in stillbirth.
In the US, stillbirth affects one in every 160 pregnancies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The NHS states that while some stillbirths are linked to complications with the placenta, a birth defect or with the mother’s health, for others there is no cause of death.
One 2016 study of 1,064 pregnancy found that around 60 per cent of stillbirths are “unexplained”.
Vander also shared that she thinks part of her healing process will be getting pregnant again.
“People joke, ‘Oh, Maya is always pregnant’. I want to mention, we [women] do have the clock ticking and I am 40 years old.
“So yes, I have two beautiful children and I’m very lucky and thankful for that, but I also lost one.
“So that void is still there, and I think part of my healing is getting pregnant again, and I really hope I will.”
If you are affected by baby loss and bearevement, you may wish to talk to one of Tommy’s midwives. They are experienced in talking about any aspect of stillbirth. You can call them for free on 0800 0147 800 or email them at midwife@tommys.org (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
The Sands National Helpline also provides a safe, confidential place for anyone who has been affected by the death of a baby. The telephone helpline is free to call from landlines and mobiles on 0808 164 3332. You can also email the team at helpline@sands.org.uk.
