Stillbirth rate in Bhutan: a retrospective facility-based study

Abstract

Introduction: Stillbirth is an important public health concern; yet there is no reliable stillbirth rate for Bhutan. Hence the aim of this study was to estimate the stillbirth rate for Bhutan. Methods: A retrospective study was carried out for live and stillbirths recorded in delivery registers of all 253 health facilities across the country for a period of one year commencing 1st January till 31st December 2015. Results: There were a total of 11,126 live births and 108 stillbirths documented in delivery registers. The stillbirth rate from this data set was 10 per 1000 live births. Conclusions: The stillbirth rate for Bhutan from this study is 10 per 1000 live births lower than 16 per 1000 live births estimated in Lancet Series 2015. In order to find the true burden of stillbirths in the country, a surveillance may be instituted which can facilitate the prevention efforts while at the same time enable to strengthen information system.