Stillbirth rate, causes, and associated risk factors in al-Wahda Teaching Hospital Aden Yemen Jan 2008–Jun 2009

Abstract EN

Objective : To determine the stillbirths’ rate, causes and risk factors among women who delivered in Al-Wahda Teaching Hospital- Gynecology and Obstetrics Department / Aden.

Study Design : A retrospective, descriptive study was conducted from January 2008 to June 2009.

Methods : A total of 7249 deliveries were evaluated for stillbirths outcome according to our hospital definition of stillbirths, and the stillbirths rate was calculated as a number of death per 1000 births.

The detailed information was recorded from the hospital maternal admission records.

Results : There were 592 stillbirths, giving a rate of 81.7 per 1000 births.

The principal risk factors were nutritional anemia (81.3%), lack of care during pregnancy (62.6%).

history of previous pregnancy loss (48.1%), multiparity (37.4%), and advanced maternal age (25.1%).

Stillbirths were attributed mainly to hypertensive disorders (20.4%), ante partum hemorrhage (18.2%), and intrapartum asphyxia (17.4%).

In addition, 13.6% stillbirths were unexplained.

More than three-fourth of stillbirths was preterm and extremely preterm represented the majority.

Conclusions : Our study revealed that deficient and / or poorly functioning antenatal care, with under utilization of this facilities when available combined with inappropriate intrapartum care, were contributed to the high rate of fetal mortality.