Stillbirth Rate in a Teaching Hospital in South-Eastern Nigeria: A Silent Tragedy

ABSTRACT

Background: Stillbirths often are not seen as a major public health problem; for despite increasing attention and investment on maternal; neonatal; and child health; stillbirths remain invisible. Aim: The objective of this study was to determine the stillbirth rate at the Imo State University Teaching Hospital; Orlu. Subjects and Methods: Analysis of the case records of stillbirths that occurred in the institution over a 5-year period from 1 st July 2005 to 30 th June 2010 was made. Data retrieved was analyzed for age of the women; parity; presumptive risk factor for the stillbirth; and booking status of the women. Also; the total births during the period of study were obtained. A P-value of 0.05 is said to be significant at confidence level of 95 (95/100). Results: There were a total of 1;142 deliveries within the study period; out of which 206 resulted in stillbirths. This gave an institutional stillbirth rate of 18 (180/1000 deliveries). One-hundred and fifty-five 75.2 (155/206) of the stillbirths were macerated stillbirth. The age range of the women was 15-44 years. The modal age was 31 years. The age group of 26-30 years had the highest prevalence rate of stillbirths of 79 (38.3 ;79/206); while age group of more than 40 years contributed the least with four stillbirths 4 (1.9 ; 4/206). Conclusion: The stillbirth rate at the institution is too high and efforts must be made to reduce it