Stillbarth in India: New study gets high rate between urban mothers, hotspots in the north

In 2020, more than six out of every 1,000 births in India may end in a stilbirth, found in a new analysis – the rate between urban mothers is higher than villagers. Research published in the Journal of Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia also states that Stillbarth “Hotspot” is largely concentrated in northern and central India.

The study was conducted by researchers from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Gorakhpur and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi. He managed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to check the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) for 2020 (NFHS-5) and the fifth round of the Civil Registration System (CRS).

Where are the highest stilbirth rates?

According to findings, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan recorded the highest stable rate in North India. At the national level, in 2020, the Stillbarth Rate (SBR) was at 6.548 on a total of 6,000 births. When the penis broke, this rate was 6.54 for female birth and 6.63 for male birth.

Interestingly, researchers noted that there was a higher risk in urban mothers than rural people – a discovery that challenges the general perception that rural pregnancies face high risk due to limited healthcare access.

Why are you getting stilby?

The analysis pointed to several risk factors. In the districts where pregnant women were anemic (less in iron) or low weight, yet the rates were high. These conditions are known to increase the possibility of adverse birth results, including Stillbarth.

On the other hand, in the districts where more women took care of clean menstruation and saw the Caesarean (C-section) delivery less, yet looked at the low rates. This was particularly clear in states such as Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, where according to NFHS-5 data, the C-section delivery rate in 2019-20 was about 45%.

Role of prenatal care

The study also strengthened the importance of pre -delivery and nutritional supplementation. Evidence of states like Assam, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh showed that women who got at least four entanal tours and took continuous iron and folic acid supplements during pregnancy, had a very low risk of stilging.

Socio-economic and healthcare link

Researchers found that higher stylistic rates were connected to areas where:

• More delivery in public health facilities
• Women had less money status
• Anemia was a high proliferation in pregnant women

While male embryos showed a slightly higher stylistic rate than female fetuses, researchers did not find significant gender-based inequality in districts. This slight difference, they suggest, may indicate a potential biological vulnerability in the male embryo.

The study makes it clear that Stillbarth is not just a rural health issue – urban mothers, also, are at risk. Improving maternal nutrition, increasing access to quality prenatal care, and ensuring that timely medical intervention can play an important role in preventing stilging across India.