Stillbirth and preterm birth and associated factors in one of the largest cities in central Vietnam

Abstract

Aim: Little is known about the rate of stillbirths, preterm births and associated risk factors in resource-limited settings like Vietnam. This study reports those rates for Da Nang, which is one of the largest cities in central Vietnam.

Methods: Data on 20 762 births including stillbirths and preterm births and associated risk factors were prospectively collected from health facilities from April 2015 to March 2016.

Results: The data represented 85% of the total births in Da Nang during the study period, and a stillbirth rate of 9.7 per 1000 live births was recorded. The preterm rate for live births was just under 5%. Independent factors associated with an increased risk of stillbirth and preterm births were mothers aged 35 plus, working as farmers, living in the provinces and a history of abortion. Mothers under 20 years with previous preterm births faced a higher risk of another preterm birth.

Conclusion: The stillbirth and premature birth rates in Da Nang were higher than rates in high-income countries. Developing registration programmes in Vietnam will provide improved data that will enable researchers and policymakers to identify strategies to reduce the number of stillbirths and premature births.

Keywords: Foetal death; Lower middle-income country; Preterm; Stillbirth; Vietnam.