Review of Stillbirth in a Canadian Tertiary Care Centre

Because literature on stillbirth in Canada and its related factors is scarce, the objective of this study was to determine the causes of stillbirth in a Canadian tertiary care centre and to identify the risk factors present in these deliveries.

The charts of 180 stillbirth deliveries with a gestational age greater than or equal to 20 weeks or a birth weight greater than or equal to 500 g between 2011 and 2016 were reviewed. Information collected from maternal charts included maternal demographics, known risk factors for stillbirth during pregnancy, delivery parameters, and pathologic examination (Canadian Task Force Classification III).

The autopsy rate was 42.5%, placental pathology rate was 100%, and karyotype was completed in 20.2% of the reviewed cases. Often, the cause of stillbirth was unexplained (43.2%). The most common causes were preterm birth (9.8%) and abruption (9.3%). The most common risk factors in this population were maternal obesity (37.6%), late prenatal care (35.0%), and maternal smoking (22.4%).

Most stillbirths were unexplained in this Canadian tertiary care centre, and the rates of autopsy and karyotype were low. Identified risk factors present in this population may contribute to the significantly higher rate of stillbirth in this centre compared with the provincial rate.