Stillbirth rates in Peruvian populations at high altitude.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the stillbirth rates in 4 cities at different altitudes in Peru.


METHODS
The stillbirth rates from a sample of 22,662 births recorded in the Perinatal Information System database were analyzed between 2005 and 2006 for the cities of Lima (150 m), Huancayo (3280 m), Cuzco (3430 m), and Puno (3850 m).


RESULTS
Stillbirths were higher at high altitude (>3000 m) (OR 4.82; CI, 3.05-7.72) compared with low altitude. The effect of altitude was observed after controlling for socioeconomic (OR 4.29; CI, 2.61-6.93), demographic and biological (OR 4.18; CI, 2.65-6.77), maternal health care (OR 4.72; CI, 2.96-7.61), and fetal factors (OR 3.96; CI, 2.48-6.45). Inhabitants from the southern Andes demonstrated a protective effect on stillbirth rate compared with the central Andes, which may be due to an ancestry effect with longer multigenerational residence in the southern Andes population.


CONCLUSIONS
Stillbirth rate is higher at high altitude compared with low altitude.
Gonzales
Gustavo F
GF
High Altitude Research Institute, Department of Biological and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru. iiad@upch.edu.pe
Tapia
Vilma
V
Carrillo
Carlos E
CE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000453:epidemiology*