Term stillbirths in Eastern Uganda: a community-based prospective cohort study

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dc.contributor.authorChebet, Martin
dc.contributor.authorOlupot-Olupot, Peter
dc.contributor.authorWeeks, D Andrew
dc.contributor.authorEngebretsen, Marie S Ingunn
dc.contributor.authorOkalany, Regina Akwi Noela
dc.contributor.authorOkello, Francis
dc.contributor.authorTylleskär, Thorkild
dc.contributor.authorBurgoine, Kathy
dc.contributor.authorMukunya, David
dc.date.accessioned2026-03-16T11:36:23Z
dc.date.available2026-03-16T11:36:23Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.descriptionJournal article
dc.description.abstractBackground: Every year, 1.9 million stillbirths occur worldwide, of whom 1.5 million occur in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Southeast Asia. Objectives: This study aims to determine the incidence and risk factors and to describe underlying causes for term stillbirths in Eastern Uganda. Methods: This was a cohort study of pregnant women enrolled at 34 weeks of gestation or more and followed to birth between January 2021 and January 2024. Enrolment and follow-up were done in the community by trained midwives. Using structured questionnaires, details of maternal health, pregnancy and birth were captured. Results: We enrolled 6101 participants and analysed 5496 for incidence of term stillbirth and 5296 for risk factors. Of the participants, 4913/5296 (92.8%) were between 14 and 35 years, and 4456/5296 (84.1%) had a health facility birth. There were 101 term stillbirths (61 were intrapartum and 40 antepartum). The incidence of term stillbirth was 18.4 per 1000 births (95% CI 14.8 to 22.9). The most common underlying causes of stillbirth were prolonged or obstructed labour 32/101 (31.7%) and malaria 20/101 (19.8%). The factors associated with term stillbirths were caesarean birth (aRR 3.3; 95% CI 2.00 to 5.4), intimate partner violence (aRR 1.8; 95% CI 1.1 to 2.8) and maternal age above 35 years (aRR 2.2; 95% CI 1.2 to 3.9). Conclusion: Eastern Uganda has a high rate of term stillbirths with more than half occurring during labour. Efforts are needed to improve the quality of birth care and to prevent intimate partner violence.
dc.description.sponsorshipEuropean Union ; Busitema University
dc.identifier.citationMartin Chebet, Peter Olupot-Olupot, Andrew D Weeks, Ingunn Marie S Engebretsen, Noela Regina Akwi Okalany, Francis Okello, Thorkild Tylleskär, Kathy Burgoine & David Mukunya (2025) Term stillbirths in Eastern Uganda: a community-based prospective cohort study, Global Health Action, 18:1, 2448895, DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2024.2448895
dc.identifier.issn1654-9716
dc.identifier.issn1654-9880
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.60682/7f7q-h613
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherTaylor & Francis Group
dc.relation.ispartofseriesGLOBAL HEALTH ACTION; 2025, VOL. 18, 2448895
dc.titleTerm stillbirths in Eastern Uganda: a community-based prospective cohort study
dc.typeArticle
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