Stillbirth and neonatal outcomes in South Australia, 1991-2000.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of maternal factors associated with impaired placental function on stillbirth and neonatal death rates in South Australia.


METHODS
From 1991 to 2000, the South Australian Pregnancy Outcome Unit's population database was searched to identify stillbirths and neonatal deaths in women with maternal medical conditions during pregnancy and in twin and singleton pregnancies.


RESULTS
Women with hypertension and carbohydrate intolerance and who smoked during pregnancy had an increased risk of stillbirth. Women with twin pregnancies had a significantly higher stillbirth rate than for singletons at each week of gestational age. An increase in stillbirth rate at later gestations was seen with singletons, with a similar trend in twins but rising from 36 weeks' gestation.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a clinical correlation between maternal factors associated with impaired placental function and increased risk of stillbirth, suggesting that intrauterine fetal death represents the mortality end point in a spectrum of intrauterine hypoxia.
Dodd
Jodie M
JM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Adelaide, North Adelaide, Australia.
Robinson
Jeffrey S
JS
Crowther
Caroline A
CA
Chan
Annabelle
A
D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011336:Probability; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology