The global network: a prospective study of stillbirths in developing countries

The stillbirth rates among births of ≥1000 g in these developing countries were substantially higher than reported stillbirth rates in developed countries (3-5/1000 births). Because most developed countries define stillbirth as ≥20 weeks of gestation or ≥500 g and because almost one-half of all stillbirths are <1000 g, the developing/developed country difference is actually larger than apparent from this study. Maceration was uncommon, which indicates that most of the deaths probably occurred during labor. The low rates of physician attendance, hospital delivery, and cesarean section deliveries suggest that stillbirth rates could be reduced by access to higher quality institutional deliveries.