The Lancet has called on India to recognize stillbirth as a loss of life rather than merely a baby born without life, emphasizing that improved stillbirth data can transform healthcare outcomes, reduce disparities, shape effective policies, and combat the social stigma surrounding stillbirth.

“By harnessing accurate and comprehensive data, India can take significant strides toward preventing stillbirths, enhancing maternal and neonatal health, and achieving its global health commitments,”  the Lancet today said in its comment “Turning the tide with better data to address stillbirths in India.” “An important step towards this is to recognising stillbirth as a loss of life and not a baby born without life.”

India aims to lower its stillbirth rate to single digits by 2030 under the Global Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP), targeting fewer than 12 stillbirths per 1,000 births from 28 weeks of pregnancy onward. However, the Lancet highlights that this focus excludes stillbirths after 22 weeks, which also deserve attention.

“While attention on stillbirth target with the threshold of ≥28 weeks (late gestation stillbirths) allows for an international comparison in tracking progress, it undermines the focus needed on addressing the early gestation stillbirths (≥22 weeks gestation),” the Lancet said.

The journal called for the need for India to improve the availability and quality of data on the magnitude, causes, risk factors, and geographic disparities in stillbirth occurrences for appropriate action to address early gestation stillbirths.

 “India cannot afford to wait until we address the late gestation stillbirths to focus on the early gestation stillbirths,” the comment said. “Ensuring focus on the latter will also bring much-needed attention to improving the quality of antenatal care services, diagnostic capabilities including access to ultrasound technology or better training in fetal monitoring, vital for early detection of complications.” 

A major barrier in understanding the causes and risk factors for stillbirths is poor availability of clinical data across the continuum of care for pregnant women, the journal highlighted, urging investment in electronic individual records with improved clinical documentation. 

“Further, high-quality data in individual records can contribute to better tracking of maternal health issues, such as hypertension, gestational diabetes, infections, and malnutrition, often linked to poor pregnancy outcomes, including stillbirths,” the journal said.

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