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

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.