Risk factors for stillbirth in developing countries: a systematic review of the literature

Abstract

Objective: To identify risk factors for stillbirth in developing countries and to measure their impact by calculating the population attributable fraction (PAF) for each risk factor.

Study design: Systematic review of published studies on risk factors for stillbirth within 3 broadly defined categories: infections, other clinical conditions, and context-dependent conditions such as socioeconomic status, maternal literacy, and receipt of antenatal care. Where statistically significant associations were found between a risk factor and occurrence of stillbirth, the PAF (the proportion of cases occurring in the total population that would be avoided if the exposure was removed) was calculated.

Results: A total of 33 studies, conducted in 31 developing countries, were included in the review. The definition of stillbirth varied widely in these studies. Risk factors for stillbirth having a PAF higher than 50% were maternal syphilis, chorioamnionitis, maternal malnutrition, lack of antenatal care, and maternal socioeconomic disadvantage.

Conclusions: Maternal syphilis prevention, screening and treatment together with other interventions targeting universal use of antenatal care (that includes screening for syphilis) and improving the socioeconomic conditions including nutritional status of the mother, could effectively contribute towards reducing the unacceptably high burden due to stillbirth in developing countries.