Stillbirths and neonatal mortality as outcomes

Goldenberg, R. L., McClure, E., Jobe, A. H., Kamath-Rayne, B. D., Gravette, M. G., & Rubens, C. E. (2013). Stillbirths and neonatal mortality as outcomes. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 123(3), 252-253. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2013.06.020

Several recent studies in low-resource countries have claimed that training in and increased use of-newborn resuscitation resulted in reduced stillbirth rates. In the present article, we explore the ability of various types of birth attendant in some low-resource country locations to gather data that accurately differentiate a stillbirth from a live birth/early neonatal death. We conclude that, in many situations, it cannot be determined whether the infant was a stillbirth or a live birth/early neonatal death, and therefore the least-biased description of study outcomes includes a combined stillbirth and live birth/neonatal death outcome. However, because defining the burden of stillbirth and neonatal death is important from a public health perspective, every effort should be made, in low-income countries and elsewhere, to distinguish between stillbirths and live births/neonatal deaths and to report the results independently. (C) 2013 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved