Factors Affecting Stillbirth Rate in the Hospitals Affiliated to Babol University of Medical Sciences

Background: Stillbirth is a sensitive indicator for health care quality, living conditions and equity in a society. The aim of this study was to determine the rate and contributing factors of stillbirth at Babol hospitals. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive, analytical study was designed as an applied research, using census sampling in 2012-2013. A questionnaire was applied for data collection. The study samples included all fetal mortalities occurring between 22 weeks of gestation and birth. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18 at the significance level of 0.05. Results: Stillbirth rate was estimated to be 11.7 per 1000 cases. The age of mothers of stillborn babies ranged between 15 and 35 years with a mean of 26.94±5.995 years. Gestational age ranged between 22 and 41 weeks with a mean of 28.9±5.941 weeks. The range of weight at birth was 250-5500 g, with a mean weight of 1331.553±1068.468 g. Stillbirth had a significant correlation with gender, the number of babies in multiple gestations, congenital abnormalities, underlying maternal diseases and maternal conditions during pregnancy. Conclusion: Stillbirth can be effectively prevented through screening high-risk women and referring them to appropriate care centers. Moreover, training and counseling these women and proper follow-up before, during and after pregnancy can aid with early detection and termination of high-risk pregnancies.