Stillbirths: Where? When? Why? How to make the data count?

TLDR: A simple, programme-relevant stillbirth classification that can be used with verbal autopsy would provide a basis for comparable national estimates, and a new focus on all deaths around the time of birth is crucial to inform programmatic investment.

About: This article is published in The Lancet.The article was published on 2011-04-23 and is currently open access. It has received 761 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Population & Verbal autopsy.

Figures

Figure 5: Estimated stillbirth rate trends by region, 1995–2008, with predictions to 2020 Predictions based on average yearly percentage reduction in stillbirth rate from 1995 to 2008. Data sources from the panel. Projections levelled once target stillbirth rate of fi ve per 1000 total births is achieved.

Figure 3: Regional variation in stillbirth rates and the proportion of intrapartum stillbirths Error bars indicate uncertainty range for the stillbirth rate estimate. Data sources from the panel and webappendix pp 5–12.

Table 3: Countries grouped by stillbirth rate, with variation of maternal and neonatal outcomes and health-system indicators

Figure 4: Antepartum stillbirths, intrapartum stillbirths, and early neonatal deaths with fetal (A) or neonatal (B) causes and associated maternal conditions (C) Data based on 19 976 stillbirths and 8562 neonatal deaths in South Africa, 2008–09. Data from Medical Research Council Maternal and Infant Health Care Strategies Research Unit.72 APH=antepartum haemorrhage.

Table 6: Stillbirth epidemiological research priorities for low-income and middle-income countries

Table 4: Variation in the distribution of antepartum stillbirth causation and associated maternal conditions

Frequently asked questions

Q1. What are the contributions mentioned in the paper "Stillbirths: where? when? why? how to make the data count?" ?

For example, this paper estimated that at least 2·65 million stillbirths ( uncertainty range 2·08 million to 3·79 million ) were estimated worldwide in 2008 ( ≥1000 g birthweight or ≥28 weeks of gestation ).