Factors associated with fresh stillbirths: A hospital-based, matched, case-control study in Burkina Faso.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the risk factors for fresh stillbirths in hospitals in Burkina Faso.


METHODS
A hospital-based, matched (1:1), case-control study was conducted from July to August 2014 in 50 hospitals across the country. All cases of stillbirth that occurred during this period in the participating facilities were included, and an appropriate control was selected for each case from the same health facility. Cases and controls were matched for gestational age. Conditional logistic regression with robust standard errors was used to compute both unadjusted and adjusted conditional odds ratios.


RESULTS
Cases were 67% less likely to have been delivered by a midwife compared with a nonmidwife attendant (ACOR=0.33; 95% CI, 0.12-0.84; P=0.02). Use of a partograph to monitor labor lowered the odds of fresh stillbirth by 82% (ACOR=0.18; 95% CI, 0.05-0.61; P=0.006). Mothers who had been transferred from another health facility were five times more likely to experience a fresh stillbirth (ACOR=5.36; 95% CI, 2.02-14.23; P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Quality and timing of intrapartum obstetric care is key to preventing fresh stillbirths. Easy to implement and available interventions, such as use of a partograph for all laboring women and improving the referral system, have the potential to save the lives of many fetuses.
African Institute of Public Health, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Research Institute for Health Sciences, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Electronic address: millogorod@gmail.com.
Tieba
T
Millogo
Research Institute for Health Sciences, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Gautier H
GH
Ouédraogo
Research Institute for Health Sciences, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Adama
A
Baguiya
Research Institute for Health Sciences, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Ivlabèhiré Bertrand
IB
Meda
African Institute of Public Health, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Research Institute for Health Sciences, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Seni
S
Kouanda
African Institute of Public Health, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; University of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Blaise
B
Sondo
D002050:Burkina Faso / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000453:epidemiology*
Burkina Faso; Fresh stillbirths; Midwives; Partograph