Study – Alfaaz – The Words

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir has emerged among the states recording the highest stillbirth rates in India, alongside Chandigarh and Rajasthan, according to a new study published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia.

The analysis, conducted by researchers from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Gorakhpur and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), as per news agency PTI, examined data from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) and the Civil Registration System (CRS) 2020 report. The CRS, managed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, tracks vital events such as births, deaths, and stillbirths nationwide.

The findings show that in 2020, India’s nationwide stillbirth rate (SBR) stood at 6.548 per 1,000 total births (female: 6.54; male: 6.63), with urban mothers recording a higher rate compared to rural counterparts. The study identified northern and central India as stillbirth hotspots, with Jammu and Kashmir featuring prominently among them.

Higher stillbirth rates were linked to districts where pregnant women were anaemic or underweight, both known to heighten the risk of adverse birth outcomes. In contrast, factors such as hygienic menstrual practices and a higher prevalence of caesarean deliveries (C-sections), especially in states like Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, were associated with lower stillbirth rates.

Data from NFHS-5 further supports the findings, with C-section prevalence in southern India reaching around 45 per cent in 2019–2020. Evidence from states including Assam, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh suggests that receiving at least four antenatal check-ups and adhering to iron and folic acid supplementation during pregnancy can markedly reduce stillbirth risk.

The researchers also noted that higher stillbirth rates tended to occur in regions where more deliveries took place in public health facilities, pregnant women had lower wealth status, and anaemia prevalence was high.

While there were no significant disparities in stillbirth rates between male and female foetuses across districts, the slightly higher rate among male foetuses may point to a greater biological vulnerability, the study said.