Journal of South Asian Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Register      Login

VOLUME 15 , ISSUE 4 ( July-August, 2023 ) > List of Articles

Original Article

A Tale of Stillbirths at a Tertiary Care Center in Northeast India

Kiran R Konda, Pranay K Phukan, Anuradha Baruah

Keywords : Demographic factor, Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, Observational study, Socioeconomic factor, Stillbirths, Stillbirth rate

Citation Information : Konda KR, Phukan PK, Baruah A. A Tale of Stillbirths at a Tertiary Care Center in Northeast India. J South Asian Feder Obs Gynae 2023; 15 (4):399-403.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10006-2266

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 16-09-2023

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2023; The Author(s).


Abstract

Aims and objectives: To evaluate socioeconomic, demographic, and fetomaternal factors associated with stillbirths. Materials and methods: An observational study conducted in Assam Medical College, India, over 1 year, included 542 stillbirths between 24 and 42 weeks of gestation. Continuous variables were studied using Mann–Whitney U/Independent t-test, other variables using Chi-square/Fisher's exact test as appropriate. Results: Stillbirth rate (SBR) at our institution was 52.41/1000 births. Antepartum stillbirths were 67%. Mean age of mothers was 24.75 ± 4.78 years (p > 0.05). Most belonged to rural place of residence (62.36%, p = 0.0013), lower socioeconomic status (31%, p = 0.046), lacked regular antenatal checkups (65.31% unbooked, p = 0.0142), and traveled long distances to reach our center (47.97% traveled >20 km). Obstetrical (28%) and hypertensive (26%) complications were commonest causes (p < 0.05). Most were multigravida (55.34%, p > 0.05). Singleton pregnancies dominated at 92.62%, with mostly preterm (49.45%, p = 0.009), mean birth weight of 2015 gm (p = 0.0023), and 56.46% male fetuses (p > 0.05). Maceration noted in 15.87% (p = 0.0002). Conclusion: Sociodemographic factors play an important role in stillbirths. Health education, strengthening peripheral health services, and proper care for reproductive age women can go a long way in prevention. To tackle stillbirths, one needs to detect and manage risk factors right from preconceptional period. The patient should be counseled regarding the importance of regular antenatal checkups and need for immediate care in case of appearance of red flag signs. Clinical significance: Most of the stillbirths may have a common pathology behind their development. Hence, detailed evaluation, classification, and regular review of the causes will help better management and prevention of stillbirths in at-risk patients.


HTML PDF Share
  1. Lawn JE, Blencowe H, Waiswa P, et al. Stillbirths: Rates, risk factors and potential for progress towards 2030. Lancet 2016;387(10018):587–603. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00837-5.
  2. World Health Organization. ICD-11 – Mortality and Morbidity Statistics, vol. 11, World Health Organization; 2018 [cited 2020 May 17]. Available from: https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en.
  3. CMACE. Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries (CMACE) Perinatal Mortality 2009: United Kingdom, London; 2011.
  4. WHO. Every newborn: An action plan to end preventable deaths: Executive summary. Geneva: World Health Organization. WHO, UNICEF; 2014. pp. 1–58.
  5. Silver RM, Dudley DJ, Conway D, et al. Causes of death among stillbirths. JAMA 2011;306(22):2459–2468. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2011.1823.
  6. Kothiyal S, Agarwal A, Das V, et al. Evaluation of causes of still birth in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Int J Reprod Contraception, Obstet Gynecol 2018;7(3):911. DOI: 10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20180865.
  7. Singh A, Kumar M. An analysis of cause of stillbirth in a tertiary care hospital of Delhi: A contribution to the WHO SEARO Project. J Obstet Gynecol India 2019;69(2):155–160. DOI: 10.1007/s13224-018-1161-1.
  8. Archibong EI, Sobande AA, Asindi AA. Antenatal intrauterine fetal death: A prospective study in a tertiary hospital in south-western Saudi Arabia. J Obstet Gynaecol 2003;23(2):170–173. DOI: 10.1080/0144361031000074728.
  9. Nath DC, Singh KK, Land KC, et al. Age of marriage and length of the first birth interval in a traditional Indian society: Life table and hazards model analysis. Hum Biol 1993;65(5):783–797. PMID: 8262506.
  10. Altijani N, Carson C, Choudhury SS, et al. Stillbirth among women in nine states in India: Rate and risk factors in study of 886,505 women from the annual health survey. BMJ Open 2018;8(11):e022583. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022583.
  11. Goldenberg R, McClure E. Importance of including stillbirth in measures of preterm birth. BJOG 2017;124(9):1355. DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.14591.
  12. Simpson JL, Jauniaux ERM. Early pregnancy loss and stillbirth. In: Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 7th edition. Elsevier; 2017. pp. 578–594.
  13. Gardosi J, Kady SM, McGeown P, et al. Classification of stillbirth by relevant condition at death (ReCoDe): Population based cohort study. Br Med J 2005;331(7525):1113–1117. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.38629.587639.7C.
  14. Patel S, Sirpurkar M, Singh Patel M. A retrospective study to evaluate etiological factors associated with intrauterine fetal death at tertiary referral centre. Int J Reprod Contracept Obs Gynecol 2016;5(4):970–975. DOI: 10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20160697.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.