Descriptive analysis of fetal mortality in the United States: a historical, racial and geographical perspective

Despite being one of pregnancy¿s most common adverse outcomes, in the United States stillbirths are barely studied, probably due to limitations with sources of reliable information on this demographic phenomenon. The aims of this study are: To compile information on different aspects of fetal mortality in the United States to achieve the long historical perspective that is crucial for secular trend analyses and to examine the biggest differences by race and latitude. We obtained information from 1922 onwards from the annual Vital Statistics reports. We calculated that the disparity in distribution of births (dead and alive) by gestational age almost entirely explains fetal death ratio differences between Black and White populations. Some variables (marital status, age of motherhood, gestational age and stillbirth weight, solar radiation) may explain racial and geographical differences.

stillbirth; fetal death ratio; united states; solar radiation; racial inequalities; maternal age; gestational age; stillbirth weight; rapporto di mortalità fetale; stati uniti, radiazione solare; diseguaglianze; età della madre; età gestazionale; peso dei natimorti

Descriptive analysis of fetal mortality in the United States: a historical, racial and geographical perspective Articles