Project Details

The role of infections in the aetiology of stillbirths in Uganda

Martin Chebet, MBChB

Summary

BACKGROUND: Routinely collected data, suggest a high burden of stillbirths in Uganda of 36 per 1000 total pregnancies which is about twice as high as the estimated global stillbirth rate of 18.4 per 1000 total pregnancies. There is also incomplete data on the incidence and limited data on the aetiology of stillbirths in Uganda and most Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). GAP: Most studies from Uganda about stillbirths and its causes are registry based and retrospective which are inaccurate and some studies were done more than 15 years ago. There is therefore an urgent need to acquire recent and accurate data on the burden and aetiology of stillbirths in Uganda. HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesize that infections are a common cause of stillbirths in Eastern Uganda. These include Malaria, syphilis, HIV, other bacterial and viral infection. METHODS: This will be a case control study. Women who deliver a stillborn infants will be the cases and those with live born infants will be controls. The study will take place at a regional referral hospital in eastern Uganda. We will do Blood slide for Malaria, Immunology for syphilis, hepatitis B tests and random blood sugar for the mother. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) will be done for common bacterial and viral pathogens in the cord blood RESULTS: Pending. IMPACT: Results of the study can provide vital information which can be used by policy makers to identify areas to focus on to reduce stillbirths in Uganda.