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Proximity to maternity services and stillbirth risk
L Parker1, H O Dickinson, T Morton-Jones
1Department of Child Health, University of Newcastle, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP, UK.
Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal and Neonatal Edition
|February 24, 2000
Summary
This study found no increased stillbirth risk for mothers living farther from maternity services. Analysis of births in West Cumbria from 1950-1989 supports this finding.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
- Reproductive Health
Background:
- Geographic accessibility to healthcare can influence health outcomes.
- Maternal health services are crucial for managing pregnancy and birth.
- Understanding the impact of service proximity on stillbirth risk is important for public health planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between the distance of a mother's residence from maternity services and stillbirth risk.
- To determine if increased travel distance to obstetric care is associated with adverse birth outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study analyzing live births and stillbirths.
- Data collected from West Cumbria between 1950 and 1989.
- Statistical analysis controlled for confounding factors like year of birth, paternal social class, and birth order.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant increase in stillbirth risk was observed with greater distance from the nearest or second nearest maternity services.
- The findings remained consistent after adjusting for key demographic and obstetric variables.
Conclusions:
- Geographic distance to maternity services does not appear to be a significant risk factor for stillbirth in this West Cumbrian population.
- This suggests that other factors may play a more critical role in stillbirth risk within the studied period and region.