The findings highlight the urgent need to improve both coverage and quality of antenatal services, especially in public hospitals.
New Delhi: A major study conducted across seven government hospitals in Delhi has revealed a troubling stillbirth rate of 29.3 per 1,000 births, significantly higher than national estimates. The findings, published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, are based on five years of sentinel surveillance data (2016–2020), covering over 4.2 lakh births.
Researchers recorded 12,569 stillbirths, with a staggering 75% occurring before labour (antepartum). Leading causes included preterm labour, fetal growth restriction (FGR), placental complications, and uterine rupture. Notably, half of the women who experienced stillbirths had received no antenatal care (ANC), and only about a third had completed the recommended four or more visits.
Women with Regular ANC Visits, Experience Less Stillbirths
The study found that women who had regular ANC visits were significantly less likely to experience stillbirths due to preventable causes like anaemia, infections, and FGR. However, even among women who received ANC, some stillbirths were linked to complications such as haemorrhage and uterine rupture—raising concerns about the quality of maternal care provided.
Researchers implemented key interventions during the study period, including routine symphysio-fundal height measurements, third-trimester ultrasounds, and labour monitoring using partographs. These changes led to a notable decline in intrapartum stillbirths by 2022.
Urgent Need to Improve Quality of Antenatal Services
Experts say the findings highlight the urgent need to improve both coverage and quality of antenatal services, especially in public hospitals. The study also calls for community-based surveillance to better capture the true burden of stillbirths, which remains underestimated in official statistics.
“This is not just about access,” said lead investigator Dr. Pratima Mittal. “It’s about timely, quality care that can prevent avoidable deaths.”
The research underscores the importance of strengthening maternal health initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), Labour Room Quality Improvement Initiative (LaQshya), and the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) to improve outcomes for mothers and babies alike.