Stillbirth in Western Australia, 2005-2013: the influence of maternal migration and ethnic origin

To investigate prevalence rates and the risk of ante- and intrapartum stillbirth in Western Australia with respect to maternal country of birth and ethnic origin.

Whole population retrospective cohort analysis of de-identified, linked routinely collected birth, perinatal and mortality data for all births to non-Indigenous women in WA during 2005-2013.

Crude and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals were estimated by logistic regression and adjusted for confounding factors, for all stillbirths, antepartum stillbirths and intrapartum stillbirths, stratified by migrant status and ethnic background (white, Asian, Indian, African, Māori, other).

Women born overseas were more likely to have a stillbirth than Australian-born women (aOR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.09-1.37). There was no significant difference for any type of stillbirth between Australian-born women of white and non-white backgrounds, but non-white migrant women were more likely than white migrants to have a stillbirth (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.19-1.70). Compared with Australian-born women, migrants of Indian (aOR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.17-2.47), African (aOR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.46-3.08), and "other" ethnic origins (aOR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.06-1.93) were more likely to have antepartum stillbirths; women of African (aOR, 5.08; 95% CI, 3.14-8.22) and "other" (aOR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.15-3.00) background were more likely to have an intrapartum stillbirth.

Immigrants of African or Indian background appear to be at greater risk of ante- and intrapartum stillbirth in WA. Specific strategies are needed reduce the prevalence of stillbirth in these communities.