Ten years analysis of stillbirth in a tertiary hospital in sub-Sahara Africa: A case control study

Abstract

Objective: Stillbirth measures provide means to assess adequacy of maternal and perinatal care in a given population. The aim of this study was to describe the determinants of stillbirth in Douala general hospital, Cameroon. Results: Determinants of stillbirth in this hospital are: maternal age ≥35 years (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.26-2.54, p = 0.001), pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (OR 2.97, 95% CI 0.87-8.89, p value of 0.03), diabetes in pregnancy (OR 9.97, 95% CI 1.15-86.86, p = 0.03), stillbirth in previous pregnancies (OR 3.94, CI 2.02-7.7, p < 0.0001), inter-pregnancy interval >2 years (OR 2, 06 CI 1.22-3.49; p = 0,006), referral from another hospital (OR 14.16, 95% CI 7.08-28.3, p < 0.0001), gestational age <37 (OR 19.9, 95% CI 12.3-32.2, p < 0.0001) and >42 (OR 6.27, 95% CI = 0.86-45.2, p = 0.096), congenital malformation (OR 11.09, 95% CI 3.2-38,5, p < 0.0001) and birth weight <2500 g (p < 0.0001).