Malaria and stillbirth in Omdurman Maternity Hospital, Sudan

The study was conducted in the labor ward of Omdurman Maternity Hospital, Sudan, from November 2007 to February 2008 to investigate the prevalence and risks factors for stillbirth.

A case-control study. Cases were women who delivered stillbirths; 2 consecutive women who delivered a live-born singleton neonate at term (37-42 weeks) per case were used as controls. Sociodemographic, clinical (including malaria infections), and obstetric histories were gathered using standard questionnaires. Maternal body mass index and hemoglobin levels were measured. Maternal, placental, and cord blood smears were investigated for malaria parasites.

Among 4760 singleton deliveries, there were 103 stillbirths, yielding a stillbirth rate of 22 per 1000 deliveries. Over half (52.4%) of these stillbirths were macerated stillbirths. Maternal sociodemographic characteristics were not associated with stillbirth, while a history of maternal malaria in the index pregnancy was the main risk factor for stillbirth (odds ratio, 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-8.9; P=0.04).

Measures to prevent malaria infection should help to prevent stillbirth in this part of Sudan.