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Frontiers in Pediatrics 2022Stillbirth, which accounts for half of all the perinatal mortality, is not counted on policy, program, and investment agendas around the globe. It has been...
BACKGROUND
Stillbirth, which accounts for half of all the perinatal mortality, is not counted on policy, program, and investment agendas around the globe. It has been underestimated public health burden, particularly in developing countries. Ethiopia is among the top countries with a large prevalence of stillbirth in the world. However, there is a dearth of study on the current magnitude of stillbirth in the study area. Therefore, this study intended to assess the prevalence of stillbirth and its associated factors to bridge the gap.
METHODS
A hospital-based retrospective study was conducted from 1 to 28 February 2019 and data were collected by reviewing the chart records of all the women who gave birth in the past 2 years (January 2016 to December 2018) at Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital. Data were entered into EpiData version 4.2.0.0 software and transported to SPSS version 23 for analysis. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, mean, and SDs were generated. Determinants of stillbirth were analyzed using a binary logistic regression and presented by adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% CI.
RESULTS
The prevalence of stillbirth was 14.5% (95% CI: 11.7%, 17.6%). Low birth weight (AOR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.23-4.76), prematurity (AOR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.10-4.01), premature rupture of membranes (AOR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.14-3.77), antepartum hemorrhage (AOR = 3.33, 95% CI: 1.66-6.67), obstructed labor (AOR = 2.87, 95% CI: 1.48-5.56), and preeclampsia (AOR = 2.91, 95% CI: 1.28-6.62) were an independently associated with stillbirth.
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of stillbirth in this study was high. Low birth weight, preterm birth, premature rupture of membranes, antepartum hemorrhage, obstructed labor, and preeclampsia were independently associated with a stillbirth. Therefore, much study is needed involving different stakeholders to reduce stillbirths by improving the health status of women through the provision of quality maternal care including referral systems.
PubMed: 35633972
DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.820308 -
Journal of Perinatal Medicine Jul 2022Stillbirth remains a global public health issue; in low-resource settings stillbirth rates remain high (>12 per 1,000 births target of Every Newborn Action Plan)....
OBJECTIVES
Stillbirth remains a global public health issue; in low-resource settings stillbirth rates remain high (>12 per 1,000 births target of Every Newborn Action Plan). Preeclampsia is major risk factor for stillbirths. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors for stillbirth amongst women with severe preeclampsia at Mpilo Central Hospital.
METHODS
A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted of women with severe preeclampsia from 01/01/2016 to 31/12/2018 at Mpilo Central Hospital, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine risk factors that were independently associated with stillbirths.
RESULTS
Of 469 women that met the inclusion criteria, 46 had a stillbirth giving a stillbirth prevalence of 9.8%. The risk factors for stillbirths in women with severe preeclampsia were: unbooked status (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 3.01, 95% (confidence interval) CI 2.20-9.10), frontal headaches (aOR 2.33, 95% CI 0.14-5.78), vaginal bleeding with abdominal pain (aOR 4.71, 95% CI 1.12-19.94), diastolic blood pressure ≥150 mmHg (aOR 15.04, 95% CI 1.78-126.79), platelet count 0-49 × 10/L (aOR 2.80, 95% CI 1.26-6.21), platelet count 50-99 × 10/L (aOR 2.48, 95% CI 0.99-6.18), antepartum haemorrhage (aOR 12.71, 95% CI 4.15-38.96), haemolysis elevated liver enzymes syndrome (HELLP) (aOR 6.02, 95% CI 2.22-16.33) and fetal sex (aOR 2.75, 95% CI 1.37-5.53).
CONCLUSIONS
Women with severe preeclampsia are at significantly increased risk of stillbirth. This study has identified risk factors for stillbirth in this high-risk population; which we hope could be used by clinicians to reduce the burden of stillbirths in women with severe preeclampsia.
Topics: Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Hospitals; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Pre-Eclampsia; Pregnancy; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Stillbirth; Zimbabwe
PubMed: 35618665
DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2022-0080 -
Journal of Perinatal Medicine Jul 2022The identification of causes of stillbirth (SB) can be a challenge due to several different classification systems of SB causes. In the scientific literature there is a...
OBJECTIVES
The identification of causes of stillbirth (SB) can be a challenge due to several different classification systems of SB causes. In the scientific literature there is a continuous emergence of SB classification systems, not allowing uniform data collection and comparisons between populations from different geographical areas. For these reasons, this study compared two of the most used SB classifications, aiming to identify which of them should be preferable.
METHODS
A total of 191 SBs were retrospectively classified by a panel composed by three experienced-physicians throughout the ReCoDe and ICD-PM systems to evaluate which classification minimizes unclassified/unspecified cases. In addition, intra and inter-rater agreements were calculated.
RESULTS
ReCoDe defined: the 23.6% of cases as unexplained, placental insufficiency in the 14.1%, lethal congenital anomalies in the 12%, infection in the 9.4%, abruptio in the 7.3%, and chorioamnionitis in the 7.3%. ICD-PM defined: the 20.9% of cases as unspecified, antepartum hypoxia in the 44%, congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities in the 11.5%, and infection in the 11.5%. For ReCoDe, inter-rater was agreement of 0.58; intra-rater agreements were 0.78 and 0.79. For ICD-PM, inter-rater agreement was 0.54; intra-rater agreements were of 0.76 and 0.71.
CONCLUSIONS
There is no significant difference between ReCoDe and ICD-PM classifications in minimizing unexplained/unspecified cases. Inter and intra-rater agreements were largely suboptimal for both ReCoDe and ICD-PM due to their lack of specific guidelines which can facilitate the interpretation. Thus, the authors suggest correctives strategies: the implementation of specific guidelines and illustrative case reports to easily solve interpretation issues.
Topics: Cause of Death; Chromosome Aberrations; Female; Humans; Placenta; Pregnancy; Retrospective Studies; Stillbirth
PubMed: 35607751
DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2022-0014 -
EClinicalMedicine May 2022The WHO in collaboration with the Nigeria Federal Ministry of Health, established a nationwide electronic data platform across referral-level hospitals. We report the...
BACKGROUND
The WHO in collaboration with the Nigeria Federal Ministry of Health, established a nationwide electronic data platform across referral-level hospitals. We report the burden of maternal, foetal and neonatal complications and quality and outcomes of care during the first year.
METHODS
Data were analysed from 76,563 women who were admitted for delivery or on account of complications within 42 days of delivery or termination of pregnancy from September 2019 to August 2020 across the 54 hospitals included in the Maternal and Perinatal Database for Quality, Equity and Dignity programme.
FINDINGS
Participating hospitals reported 69,055 live births, 4,498 stillbirths and 1,090 early neonatal deaths. 44,614 women (58·3%) had at least one pregnancy complication, out of which 6,618 women (8·6%) met our criteria for potentially life-threatening complications, and 940 women (1·2%) died. Leading causes of maternal death were eclampsia ( = 187,20·6%), postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) ( = 103,11·4%), and sepsis ( = 99,10·8%). Antepartum hypoxia ( = 1455,31·1%) and acute intrapartum events ( = 913,19·6%) were the leading causes of perinatal death. Predictors of maternal and perinatal death were similar: low maternal education, lack of antenatal care, referral from other facility, previous caesarean section, latent-phase labour admission, operative vaginal birth, non-use of a labour monitoring tool, no labour companion, and non-use of uterotonic for PPH prevention.
INTERPRETATION
This nationwide programme for routine data aggregation shows that maternal and perinatal mortality reduction strategies in Nigeria require a multisectoral approach. Several lives could be saved in the short term by addressing key predictors of death, including gaps in the coverage of internationally recommended interventions such as companionship in labour and use of labour monitoring tool.
FUNDING
This work was funded by MSD for Mothers; and UNDP/UNFPA/ UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), a co-sponsored programme executed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
PubMed: 35518118
DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101411 -
American Journal of Obstetrics and... Sep 2022The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with a worsening of perinatal outcomes in many regions around the world. Melbourne, Australia, had one of the longest and most...
BACKGROUND
The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with a worsening of perinatal outcomes in many regions around the world. Melbourne, Australia, had one of the longest and most stringent lockdowns worldwide in 2020 while recording only rare instances of COVID-19 infection in pregnant women.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to compare the stillbirth and preterm birth rates in women who were exposed or unexposed to lockdown restrictions during pregnancy.
STUDY DESIGN
This was a retrospective, multicenter cohort study of perinatal outcomes in Melbourne before and during the COVID-19 lockdown. The lockdown period was defined as the period from March 23, 2020 to March 14, 2021. Routinely-collected maternity data on singleton pregnancies ≥24 weeks gestation without congenital anomalies were obtained from all the 12 public hospitals in Melbourne. We defined the lockdown-exposed cohort as those women for whom weeks 20 to 40 of gestation occurred during the lockdown and the unexposed control group as women from the corresponding calendar periods 12 and 24 months before. The main outcome measures were stillbirth, preterm birth, fetal growth restriction (birthweight < third centile), and iatrogenic preterm birth for fetal compromise. We performed multivariable logistic regression analysis to compare the odds of stillbirth, preterm birth, fetal growth restriction, and iatrogenic preterm birth for fetal compromise, adjusting for multiple covariates.
RESULTS
There were 24,817 births in the exposed group and 50,017 births in the control group. There was a significantly higher risk of preterm stillbirth in the exposed group than the control group (0.26% vs 0.18%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.49; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-2.05; P=.015). There was also a significant reduction in the preterm birth of live infants <37 weeks (5.68% vs 6.07%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.87-0.99; P=.02), which was largely mediated by a significant reduction in iatrogenic preterm birth (3.01% vs 3.27%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.83-0.99; P=.03), including iatrogenic preterm birth for fetal compromise (1.25% vs 1.51%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-0.93; P=.003). There were also significant reductions in special care nursery admissions during lockdown (11.53% vs 12.51%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.90; 95% confidence interval, 0.86-0.95; P<.0001). There was a trend to fewer spontaneous preterm births <37 weeks in the exposed group of a similar magnitude to that reported in other countries (2.69% vs 2.82%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.87-1.05; P=.32).
CONCLUSION
Lockdown restrictions in Melbourne, Australia were associated with a significant reduction in iatrogenic preterm birth for fetal compromise and a significant increase in preterm stillbirths. This raises concerns that pandemic conditions in 2020 may have led to a failure to identify and appropriately care for pregnant women at an increased risk of antepartum stillbirth. Further research is required to understand the relationship between these 2 findings and to inform our ongoing responses to the pandemic.
Topics: COVID-19; Cohort Studies; Communicable Disease Control; Female; Fetal Growth Retardation; Humans; Iatrogenic Disease; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Pandemics; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Retrospective Studies; Stillbirth
PubMed: 35452655
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.04.022 -
Indian Journal of Community Medicine :... 2022Globally, over 130 million babies are born every year, and almost 8 million die before their first birthday. Data on perinatal mortality (PM) and its various causes are...
BACKGROUND
Globally, over 130 million babies are born every year, and almost 8 million die before their first birthday. Data on perinatal mortality (PM) and its various causes are lacking in many parts of the world including India.
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to estimate stillbirth (SB), early neonatal, and PM rates and its causes over the last decade in a rural development block, India.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This is a nonconcurrent cohort study, analyzing the births, SBs, and early neonatal deaths between January 2008 and December 2017. The World Health Organization-PM classification was used to allocate causes of death as well as maternal risk factors. Birth weights were classified using standard growth charts.
RESULTS
There were 20,704 births after 28 weeks gestation and where the fetus weighed more than 1000 g of which 285 were SBs. There were 20,419 live births with 229 early neonatal deaths. There was a significant decline in PM rate from 32 per 1000 to 11 per 1000. There was a decrease in the small for gestational age fetuses from 20% to 12.5%. The main cause for SBs was antepartum hypoxia (34.4%) and fetal growth disorders (26.3%). Complications of intrapartum events contributed to 32.8% of the early neonatal deaths.
CONCLUSION
Steady decline in PM rate and in the number of small for gestational age fetuses over 10 years was seen. Pregnancy registration and follow-up help in giving us a better understanding of the causes of PM.
PubMed: 35368477
DOI: 10.4103/ijcm.IJCM_80_21 -
The Australian & New Zealand Journal of... Aug 2022The majority of perinatal deaths occur in the preterm period; however, current approaches predominantly focus on prevention in the term period. Reducing perinatal deaths...
AIM
The majority of perinatal deaths occur in the preterm period; however, current approaches predominantly focus on prevention in the term period. Reducing perinatal deaths in the preterm period is, therefore, key to reducing the rates of perinatal death overall in Australia. The aim was to understand the classifications of causes of preterm stillbirth and neonatal death in Victoria over time and by gestation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Retrospective study using state-wide, publicly available data. All births in Victoria between 2010 and 2018 included in the Victorian Perinatal Data Collection, excluding terminations of pregnancy for maternal psychosocial indications, were studied. Differences in causes of preterm perinatal mortality gestation group and over time were determined.
RESULTS
Out of 7977 perinatal deaths reported, 85.9% (n = 6849) were in the preterm period. The most common cause of preterm stillbirths was congenital anomalies (n = 1574, 29.8%), followed by unexplained antepartum deaths (n = 557, 14.2%). The most common cause of preterm neonatal death was spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB; n = 599, 38.2%), followed by congenital anomalies (n = 493, 31.4%). The rate of preterm stillbirths due to hypertension (-14.9% (95% CI -27.1% to -2.7%; P = 0.02)), maternal conditions (-24.1% (95% CI -44.2% to -4.0%; P = 0.03)) and those that were unexplained (-5.4% (95% CI -9.8% to -1.2%; P = 0.02)) decreased per annum between 2010 and 2018. All other classifications did not change significantly over time.
CONCLUSION
Prevention of congenital anomalies and sPTB is critical to reducing preterm perinatal mortality. Greater emphasis on understanding causes of preterm deaths through mortality investigations may reduce the proportion of those considered 'unexplained'.
Topics: Female; Humans; Infant Mortality; Infant, Newborn; Perinatal Death; Perinatal Mortality; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Retrospective Studies; Stillbirth; Victoria
PubMed: 35238402
DOI: 10.1111/ajo.13497 -
Acta Obstetricia Et Gynecologica... Apr 2022Occult or untreated gestational diabetes (GDM) is a well-known risk factor for adverse perinatal outcomes and may contribute to antepartum stillbirth. We assessed the...
INTRODUCTION
Occult or untreated gestational diabetes (GDM) is a well-known risk factor for adverse perinatal outcomes and may contribute to antepartum stillbirth. We assessed the impact of screening for GDM on the rate of antepartum stillbirths in non-anomalous pregnancies by conducting a population-based study in 974 889 women in Austria.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Our database was derived from the Austrian Birth Registry. Inclusion criteria were singleton live births and antepartum stillbirths ≥24 gestational weeks, excluding fetal congenital malformations, terminations of pregnancy and women with pre-existing type 1 or 2 diabetes. Main outcome measures were (a) overall stillbirth rates and (b) stillbirth rates in women at high risk of GDM (i.e., women with a body mass index ≥30 kg/m , history of previous intrauterine fetal death, GDM, previous macrosomic offspring) before (2008-2010, "phase I") and after (2011-2019, "phase II") the national implementation of universal GDM screening with a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test in Austrian pregnant women by 2011.
RESULTS
In total, 940 373 pregnancies were included between 2008 and 2019, of which 2579 resulted in intrauterine fetal deaths at 33.51 ± 5.10 gestational weeks. After implementation of the GDM screening, a statistically significant reduction in antepartum stillbirth rates among non-anomalous singletons was observed only in women at high risk for GDM (4.10‰ [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.09-5.43] in phase I vs. 2.96‰ [95% CI 2.57-3.41] in phase II; p = 0.043) but not in the general population (2.76‰ [95% CI 2.55-2.99] in phase I vs. 2.74‰ [95% CI 2.62-2.86] in phase II; p = 0.845). The number needed to screen with the oral glucose tolerance test to subsequently prevent one case of (non-anomalous) intrauterine fetal death was 880 in the high-risk and 40 000 in the general population.
CONCLUSIONS
The implementation of a universal GDM screening program in Austria in 2011 has not led to any significant reduction in antenatal stillbirths among non-anomalous singletons in the general population. More international data are needed to strengthen our findings.
Topics: Austria; Diabetes, Gestational; Female; Fetal Death; Glucose Tolerance Test; Humans; Pregnancy; Stillbirth
PubMed: 35195277
DOI: 10.1111/aogs.14334 -
PloS One 2022To assess the risk of singleton intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) in women by the demographic setting of the online Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) Stillbirth Risk...
OBJECTIVE
To assess the risk of singleton intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) in women by the demographic setting of the online Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) Stillbirth Risk Calculator.
METHODS
Retrospective single-centre case-control study involving 144 women having suffered IUFD and 247 women after delivery of a live-born singleton. Nonparametric receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analyses were performed to predict the prognostic power of the FMF Stillbirth risk score and to generate a cut-off value to discriminate best between the event of IUFD versus live birth.
RESULTS
Women in the IUFD cohort born a significantly higher overall risk with a median FMF risk score of 0.45% (IQR 0.23-0.99) compared to controls [0.23% (IQR 0.21-0.29); p<0.001]. Demographic factors contributing to an increased risk of IUFD in our cohort were maternal obesity (p = 0.002), smoking (p<0.001), chronic hypertension (p = 0.015), antiphospholipid syndrome (p = 0.017), type 2 diabetes (p<0.001), and insulin requirement (p<0.001). ROC analyses showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.72 (95% CI 0.67-0.78; p<0.001) for predicting overall IUFD and an AUC of 0.72 (95% CI 0.64-0.80; p<0.001), respectively, for predicting IUFD excluding congenital malformations. The FMF risk score at a cut-off of 0.34% (OR 6.22; 95% CI 3.91-9.89; p<0.001) yielded an 82% specificity and 58% sensitivity in predicting IUFD with a positive and negative predictive value of 0.94% and 99.84%, respectively.
CONCLUSION
The FMF Stillbirth Risk Calculator based upon maternal demographic and obstetric characteristics only may help identify women at low risk of antepartum stillbirth.
Topics: Perinatology
PubMed: 35051188
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260964 -
Cadernos de Saude Publica 2022Perinatal mortality includes fetal mortality and early neonatal mortality (0 to 6 days of life). The study described perinatal deaths in Brazil in 2018 according to the...
Perinatal mortality includes fetal mortality and early neonatal mortality (0 to 6 days of life). The study described perinatal deaths in Brazil in 2018 according to the modified Wigglesworth classification. The data sources were the Brazilian Mortality Information System and the Brazilian Information System on Live Births. Fetal mortality and perinatal mortality rates were calculated per 1,000 total births (live births plus stillbirths) and the early neonatal mortality rate per 1,000 live births, compared using their respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Perinatal deaths were classified in groups of antepartum causes, congenital anomalies, prematurity, asphyxia, and specific causes. For each group of causes, the study calculated the number of deaths by weight group, in addition to mortality rates and respective 95%CI, besides the spatial distribution of mortality rates by state of Brazil. A total of 35,857 infant deaths were recorded, of which 18,866 (52.6%) were early neonatal deaths, while stillbirths totaled 27,009. Perinatal deaths totaled 45,875, for a mortality rate of 15.5‰ births. The highest mortality rate (7.6‰; 7.5‰-7.7‰) was observed in the antepartum group, followed by prematurity (3.6‰; 3.6‰-3.7‰). In the antepartum group, 14 of the 27 states (eight of which in the Northeast and four in the North) presented perinatal mortality rates above the national rate. Perinatal mortality in Brazil was high, and most deaths could have been prevented with investment in prenatal and childbirth care.
Topics: Brazil; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant Mortality; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Perinatal Death; Perinatal Mortality; Pregnancy
PubMed: 35043879
DOI: 10.1590/0102-311X00003121