Term stillbirths in Eastern Uganda: a community-based prospective cohort study
Background Every year, 1.9 million stillbirths occur worldwide, of whom 1.5 million occur in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Southeast Asia. Objectives This study aims to determine the incidence and risk factors and to describe underlying causes for term stillbirths in Eastern Uganda. Methods This was...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Global Health Action |
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| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2024.2448895 |
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| author | Martin Chebet Peter Olupot-Olupot Andrew D Weeks Ingunn Marie S Engebretsen Noela Regina Akwi Okalany Francis Okello Thorkild Tylleskär Kathy Burgoine David Mukunya |
| author_facet | Martin Chebet Peter Olupot-Olupot Andrew D Weeks Ingunn Marie S Engebretsen Noela Regina Akwi Okalany Francis Okello Thorkild Tylleskär Kathy Burgoine David Mukunya |
| author_sort | Martin Chebet |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Every year, 1.9 million stillbirths occur worldwide, of whom 1.5 million occur in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Southeast Asia. Objectives This study aims to determine the incidence and risk factors and to describe underlying causes for term stillbirths in Eastern Uganda. Methods This was a cohort study of pregnant women enrolled at 34 weeks of gestation or more and followed to birth between January 2021 and January 2024. Enrolment and follow-up were done in the community by trained midwives. Using structured questionnaires, details of maternal health, pregnancy and birth were captured. Results We enrolled 6101 participants and analysed 5496 for incidence of term stillbirth and 5296 for risk factors. Of the participants, 4913/5296 (92.8%) were between 14 and 35 years, and 4456/5296 (84.1%) had a health facility birth. There were 101 term stillbirths (61 were intrapartum and 40 antepartum). The incidence of term stillbirth was 18.4 per 1000 births (95% CI 14.8 to 22.9). The most common underlying causes of stillbirth were prolonged or obstructed labour 32/101 (31.7%) and malaria 20/101 (19.8%). The factors associated with term stillbirths were caesarean birth (aRR 3.3; 95% CI 2.00 to 5.4), intimate partner violence (aRR 1.8; 95% CI 1.1 to 2.8) and maternal age above 35 years (aRR 2.2; 95% CI 1.2 to 3.9). Conclusion Eastern Uganda has a high rate of term stillbirths with more than half occurring during labour. Efforts are needed to improve the quality of birth care and to prevent intimate partner violence. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-629474ab265040d1bdf24d1c30856f36 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1654-9880 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Health Action |
| spelling | doaj-art-629474ab265040d1bdf24d1c30856f362025-02-05T12:46:14ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGlobal Health Action1654-98802025-12-0118110.1080/16549716.2024.24488952448895Term stillbirths in Eastern Uganda: a community-based prospective cohort studyMartin Chebet0Peter Olupot-Olupot1Andrew D Weeks2Ingunn Marie S Engebretsen3Noela Regina Akwi Okalany4Francis Okello5Thorkild Tylleskär6Kathy Burgoine7David Mukunya8Busitema UniversityBusitema UniversityUniversity of LiverpoolUniversity of BergenUniversity of BergenUniversity of BergenUniversity of BergenMbale Regional Referral HospitalBusitema UniversityBackground Every year, 1.9 million stillbirths occur worldwide, of whom 1.5 million occur in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Southeast Asia. Objectives This study aims to determine the incidence and risk factors and to describe underlying causes for term stillbirths in Eastern Uganda. Methods This was a cohort study of pregnant women enrolled at 34 weeks of gestation or more and followed to birth between January 2021 and January 2024. Enrolment and follow-up were done in the community by trained midwives. Using structured questionnaires, details of maternal health, pregnancy and birth were captured. Results We enrolled 6101 participants and analysed 5496 for incidence of term stillbirth and 5296 for risk factors. Of the participants, 4913/5296 (92.8%) were between 14 and 35 years, and 4456/5296 (84.1%) had a health facility birth. There were 101 term stillbirths (61 were intrapartum and 40 antepartum). The incidence of term stillbirth was 18.4 per 1000 births (95% CI 14.8 to 22.9). The most common underlying causes of stillbirth were prolonged or obstructed labour 32/101 (31.7%) and malaria 20/101 (19.8%). The factors associated with term stillbirths were caesarean birth (aRR 3.3; 95% CI 2.00 to 5.4), intimate partner violence (aRR 1.8; 95% CI 1.1 to 2.8) and maternal age above 35 years (aRR 2.2; 95% CI 1.2 to 3.9). Conclusion Eastern Uganda has a high rate of term stillbirths with more than half occurring during labour. Efforts are needed to improve the quality of birth care and to prevent intimate partner violence.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2024.2448895stillbirthstermcausesrisk factors |
| spellingShingle | Martin Chebet Peter Olupot-Olupot Andrew D Weeks Ingunn Marie S Engebretsen Noela Regina Akwi Okalany Francis Okello Thorkild Tylleskär Kathy Burgoine David Mukunya Term stillbirths in Eastern Uganda: a community-based prospective cohort study Global Health Action stillbirths term causes risk factors |
| title | Term stillbirths in Eastern Uganda: a community-based prospective cohort study |
| title_full | Term stillbirths in Eastern Uganda: a community-based prospective cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Term stillbirths in Eastern Uganda: a community-based prospective cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Term stillbirths in Eastern Uganda: a community-based prospective cohort study |
| title_short | Term stillbirths in Eastern Uganda: a community-based prospective cohort study |
| title_sort | term stillbirths in eastern uganda a community based prospective cohort study |
| topic | stillbirths term causes risk factors |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2024.2448895 |
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