Why is Rainy’s pregnancy stuck in Death Stranding 2?

In Death Stranding 2, you’ll often come across strange concepts that blend both science and supernatural ideas. One of the best examples is Stillbaby Syndrome, something that affects not only the in-game world at large but Rainy, too, one of the crew members of the DHV Magellan. Her pregnancy seems to be frozen in time, and many players might be curious why it does not progress.

As you continue the story, you will realise that the Stillbaby Syndrome isn’t just limited to her, and is a part of a way deeper problem. On that note, here’s everything you need to know about the Stillbaby Syndrome in Death Stranding 2.

Note: This article contains major spoilers for the game and includes some speculative interpretations.

Stillbaby Syndrome in Death Stranding 2: Everything you need to know

In the game, Stillbaby Syndrome is a condition where the fetus stops growing at around the seventh month of pregnancy. The child isn’t dead, but it doesn’t move or grow either — that's exactly what Rainy is suffering from. It’s almost like time has frozen around it.

Interestingly, even attempting to remove the baby using natural methods or C-section results in its death. This is one of the major reasons for the declining birth rate in the game.

What causes it?

Rainy in Episode 3 (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Kojima Productions)

According to Tarman, the captain of the DHV Magellan, this condition might be caused by a disturbance in the connection to the Beach. For those unaware, the Beach is a metaphysical space between the world of the living and the afterlife.

As the Chiral Network spreads across Australia in Death Stranding 2, it might be unintentionally disrupting the link to the Upper Beach, impacting childbirth in the living world.

Connection between the Stillbaby Syndrome and BBs

Sam holding a BB Pod (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Kojima Productions)

In the first game, we were introduced to Bridge Babies (BBs), unborn infants that were removed from stillmothers and used to detect Beached Things (BTs). The BBs were always taken from mothers at around seven months of pregnancy, the same stage at which fetuses stop growing in the Stillbaby Syndrome.

Dollman speculates that the Beach might be influencing the unborn children, which makes it clearer that the Stillbaby Syndrome and BBs are closely connected.

That’s everything we know about this condition so far. The Stillbaby Syndrome remains one of the most mysterious things in the game. As the story unfolds, we may uncover more about its origins and possible resolution.

Read more articles here:

• What is Motherhood Password in Death Stranding 2?
• How to unlock and use Bola Gun in Death Stranding 2
• How to use Dollman to survey in Death Stranding 2? Controls explained

Edited by Dinesh Renthlei