A Few Year Review of Still Birth at The Prince Abubakar Audu University Teaching Hospital Anyigba, North Central Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: An estimated 2.6 million still birth occur annually in the world in 2015. Nigeria then accounted for about 12.2% of this being the second highest still birth rate. Still birth is death of the fetus at or after 28 weeks of gestation. In some clime it is death of a fetus at or after 22 weeks. Aim: The study aim is to review still birth, determine the rate and characteristics of stillbirth at the Prince Abubakar Audu University teaching hospital, Anyigba, North Central Nigeria. Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted at Prince Abubakar Audu University Teaching Hospital in Anyigba, Nigeria between September and December 2023. We reviewed deliveries over a 5 year period; between January, 2018 and December 2022. A tool was used to extract data on pregnancies, live births, still births and other relevant related information about the parturients. Data was analyzed (descriptive analysis) using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results: The institutional stillbirth rate is 3.8% (38 per 1000 deliveries). Majority of Women that had stillbirth were in the age range 21 to 39 years (82%), 29 (56.8%) booked while 18 (38.3%) were unbooked. 25(49%) were multiparae followed by 17 (33%) who were primigravidae and 9(18%) grand multiparae. 55 % (28) of the stillbirths were macerated at delivery while 45 % (23) were fresh still births. Preeclampsia/eclampsia (19.6%) was the most identified risk factor followed by prolonged obstructed labour (11.8%), ruptured uterus (9.8), PPROM (9.8%) and Preterm delivery (9.8%). The others are abruption placentae (5.9%), maternal infection (3.9%) and congenital abnormality (2%). Conclusion: The still birth rate of 38/1000 total births is unacceptably high leaving a lot of women with muted grief after childbirth. We need more effort to eliminate or reduce the incidence of still births.