Examining stillbirth rates and characteristics in an Indian tertiary care hospital: a descriptive study from 2020 to 2022

Stillbirth represents a significant public health concern in India, yet progress in addressing this issue has been incremental. The objective of this study was to comprehensively investigate and document the incidence and characteristics of stillbirth rates in an Indian tertiary care hospital over the period from 2020 to 2022.

This descriptive study focused on patients beyond 28 weeks of gestation, excluding cases of intrapartum stillbirth. Data were collected from medical records and analyzed descriptively. Among 12,682 births in an Indian tertiary care hospital from 2020 to 2022, all cases of stillbirth were analyzed.

Throughout the study duration, a cumulative total of 245 births, representing 19.31% of the entire birth cohort, resulted in stillbirth within the examined environment. The mean gestational age at the time of stillbirth was determined to be 34.1 ± 3.7 weeks. Noteworthy characteristics among the stillbirth cases included a substantial proportion being primigravida (44.5%) and having undergone at least one antenatal visit (25.7%). Additionally, it was observed that 10.6% of these cases underwent history of previous stillbirth. Relevant medical histories among the subjects experiencing stillbirth encompassed hypothyroidism in 20.8% of cases and hypertension in 16.7%. Maternal conditions associated with stillbirth included abruption placenta (15.5%), pregnancy-induced hypertension (12.2%), and antepartum hemorrhage (11.4%).

These findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions to reduce stillbirth rates and improve maternal and fetal health outcomes. Further research is needed to understand the determinants of stillbirth and develop effective prevention strategies within the Indian healthcare context.