Addressing Stillbirth: Exploring Economic Status, Government Strategies, and Gaps

Abstract

Stillbirth rates exhibit a strong correlation with a country's economic level, suggesting the significant impact of socioeconomic factors on maternal and fetal health. Various risk factors for stillbirth have been identified in high-, low- and middle-income countries, but the widening economic inequity between different nations results in discrepant etiologies of stillbirth. The emotional impacts of stillbirth affect not only the birthing person, but also the reproductive partner, family, and community due to the enduring pain and grief associated with the loss. Herein, we review the existing government strategies and the limiting factors in implementing these plans across high-, middle-, and low-income countries and discuss possible ways to prevent stillbirth. Furthermore, we have mentioned various factors that are directly and indirectly associated with the national economic status and the possible ways to intervene in the rising stillbirth rate. We also discussed the additional psychological burden that arises from the financial crisis among people in low- and middle-income countries. While global strategies are being implemented to attain a single-digit stillbirth rate by 2030, underreporting of the incidence of stillbirth cases remains a major threat to the achievement of this goal. Standardizing guidelines for reporting and recording stillbirth cases will effectively help in achieving global targets. Financial incentive schemes along with the existing strategies will significantly reduce the stillbirth rates in nations.

Keywords: antenatal care; community; economic burden; economic status; financial incentives; global plans; global strategies; maternal and child health; public health; stillbirth.

Figure 1. Conceptual framework on various factors of stillbirth in association with the economic level