Investigation of Factors Related to Stillbirth

Abstract

The stillbirth rate is among the most important indicators of access to and quality of care during pregnancy. This study investigated the factors related to the stillbirth rate in the Yazd province, Iran. The current research is descriptive and cross-sectional and the results of Shahdieh city cohort study which was conducted on 4756 women were used. Data related to the history of stillbirth, demographic characteristics, fertility history and, various female diseases were extracted from the results of the cohort study. The result shows that 7.2% of studied women had a history of stillbirth. Among the multiple variables, predictor variables including education level, marriage age, age of the first conception, number of children, consanguineous marriage, Employment status, and diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and history of depression had a significant relationship with a history of stillbirth (P ≤ .05). The stillbirth rate in Shahedieh is high compared to the global stillbirth Rate, but it is comparable with the stillbirth Rate in Yazd province. Although Yazd province, as one of the industrial hubs of Iran, has relatively acceptable indicators of income, employment, and medical and health facilities and welfare compared to other provinces, this study showed that factors such as diabetes, hypertension, low level of women's education, consanguineous marriage, and women's employment status and social welfare can affect Stillbirth Rate.

Keywords: death; pregnancy; risk factors; socioeconomic factors; stillbirth.

Figure 1.

Percentage of women with a history of stillbirth at 95% confidence interval.