Stillbirths: how can health systems deliver for mothers and babies?

A prospective study of maternal, fetal and neonatal deaths in low- and middle-income countries

“…30 In 2011, other studies showed that maternal, fetal and newborn deaths are often due to the same causes and that interventions that reduce stillbirth and early neonatal mortality also reduce maternal mortality. 34,35 Since then, others have described the possible connection between maternal and perinatal outcomes in greater detail. 4,36,37 Our study confirms that the mother's death has important implications for the risk that her fetus or neonate will also die.…”

The rising home birth trend in America

“…3,16 These results suggest that midwifery alone can be an efficient and cost-effective option for achieving large reductions in mortality rates. 3 A specific midwifery competency, breastfeeding counseling, is the main reason that midwives have achieved greater reductions in neonatal deaths than obstetricians.…”

“…3 A specific midwifery competency, breastfeeding counseling, is the main reason that midwives have achieved greater reductions in neonatal deaths than obstetricians. 16,17 The majority (86%) of newborns delivered by midwives were exclusively breastfed by 6 weeks of age. Combination of midwives and obstetricians led births also costs considerably less than obstetricians alone.…”

Child survival revolutions revisited – lessons learned from Bangladesh, Nicaragua, Rwanda and Vietnam

“…Later, more emphasis was given to neonatal deaths 10 and the strategies to prevent these by establishing a continuum of maternal and newborn care 36. The huge problem of preventable fresh stillbirths in low‐income settings has now been added to the agenda 37. As with neonatal deaths, there is an urgent need to identify and register these cases to identify the problems 38.…”