The Effect of Maternal Socio-Demographic Status and First Trimester Screening Test in Predicting Term Stillbirth

Objective: Stillbirth is defined by the World Health Organization as the complete birth of a fetal death baby. Stillbirth rate in Turkey is determined approximately 9.3/1000. Although many reasons have been identified in the etiology of stillbirth, idiopathic stillbirths are still detected. Currently, a cost-effective stillbirth screening strategy has not been recommended. Methods: Term stillbirth cases that occurred in our clinic during 4 years period were investigated retrospectively. Pregnancies resulting in stillbirth and control group pregnancies were compared in terms of sociodemographic status and first trimester screening test results. Results: Maternal age was found to be higher in the pregnancies resulting in stillbirth, while birth weight and gestational age were lower (p=0.003 and p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). There was no significant effect of maternal refugee status or income status on stillbirth. Pregnancy-related plasma protein A, one of the first trimester test markers, was not found to have an effect on predicting stillbirth, whereas low values of free beta-human chorionic gonadotrapine (BhCG) might have a role in predicting stillbirth (AUC 0.731 and p=0.006). Nuchal translucency (NT) was also found to be significant in predicting stillbirth but not as effective as free BhCG. Conclusion: In our country, the stillbirth rate is almost twice that of developed countries. Free BhCG, NT, and maternal demographic data can be used to predict term stillbirths with often unknown causes.