Ending preventable stillbirths and improving bereavement care: a scorecard for high- and upper-middle income countries
Abstract Background Despite progress, stillbirth rates in many high- and upper-middle income countries remain high, and the majority of these deaths are preventable. We introduce the Ending Preventable Stillbirths (EPS) Scorecard for High- and Upper Middle-Income Countries, a tool to track progress...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-06-01
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| Series: | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-023-05765-5 |
| _version_ | 1797789487485419520 |
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| author | Esti Charlotte de Graaff Susannah Hopkins Leisher Hannah Blencowe Harriet Lawford Jillian Cassidy Paul Richard Cassidy Elizabeth S. Draper Alexander E. P. Heazell Mary Kinney Paula Quigley Claudia Ravaldi Claire Storey Alfredo Vannacci the E. P. S. in High-Resource Countries Scorecard Collaboration Group Vicki Flenady |
| author_facet | Esti Charlotte de Graaff Susannah Hopkins Leisher Hannah Blencowe Harriet Lawford Jillian Cassidy Paul Richard Cassidy Elizabeth S. Draper Alexander E. P. Heazell Mary Kinney Paula Quigley Claudia Ravaldi Claire Storey Alfredo Vannacci the E. P. S. in High-Resource Countries Scorecard Collaboration Group Vicki Flenady |
| author_sort | Esti Charlotte de Graaff |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Despite progress, stillbirth rates in many high- and upper-middle income countries remain high, and the majority of these deaths are preventable. We introduce the Ending Preventable Stillbirths (EPS) Scorecard for High- and Upper Middle-Income Countries, a tool to track progress against the Lancet’s 2016 EPS Series Call to Action, fostering transparency, consistency and accountability. Methods The Scorecard for EPS in High- and Upper-Middle Income Countries was adapted from the Scorecard for EPS in Low-Income Countries, which includes 20 indicators to track progress against the eight Call to Action targets. The Scorecard for High- and Upper-Middle Income Countries includes 23 indicators tracking progress against these same Call to Action targets. For this inaugural version of the Scorecard, 13 high- and upper-middle income countries supplied data. Data were collated and compared between and within countries. Results Data were complete for 15 of 23 indicators (65%). Five key issues were identified: (1) there is wide variation in stillbirth rates and related perinatal outcomes, (2) definitions of stillbirth and related perinatal outcomes vary widely across countries, (3) data on key risk factors for stillbirth are often missing and equity is not consistently tracked, (4) most countries lack guidelines and targets for critical areas for stillbirth prevention and care after stillbirth and have not set a national stillbirth rate target, and (5) most countries do not have mechanisms in place for reduction of stigma or guidelines around bereavement care. Conclusions This inaugural version of the Scorecard for High- and Upper-Middle Income Countries highlights important gaps in performance indicators for stillbirth both between and within countries. The Scorecard provides a basis for future assessment of progress and can be used to help hold individual countries accountable, especially for reducing stillbirth inequities in disadvantaged groups. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:51:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3b160b09d2654b29bdc222977f38b457 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2393 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:51:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| spelling | doaj.art-3b160b09d2654b29bdc222977f38b4572023-07-02T11:29:20ZengBMCBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth1471-23932023-06-0123111710.1186/s12884-023-05765-5Ending preventable stillbirths and improving bereavement care: a scorecard for high- and upper-middle income countriesEsti Charlotte de Graaff0Susannah Hopkins Leisher1Hannah Blencowe2Harriet Lawford3Jillian Cassidy4Paul Richard Cassidy5Elizabeth S. Draper6Alexander E. P. Heazell7Mary Kinney8Paula Quigley9Claudia Ravaldi10Claire Storey11Alfredo Vannacci12the E. P. S. in High-Resource Countries Scorecard Collaboration GroupVicki Flenady13Mater Research Institute, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Stillbirth, University of QueenslandMater Research Institute, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Stillbirth, University of QueenslandCentre for Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineMater Research Institute, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Stillbirth, University of QueenslandAsociación UmamanitaAsociación UmamanitaMBRRACE-UK, Department of Population Health Sciences, University of LeicesterMaternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of ManchesterSchool of Public Health, University of the Western CapeInternational Stillbirth AlliancePeaRL Perinatal Research Laboratory, CiaoLapo Foundation for Perinatal Health, Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of FlorenceInternational Stillbirth AlliancePeaRL Perinatal Research Laboratory, CiaoLapo Foundation for Perinatal Health, Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of FlorenceMater Research Institute, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Stillbirth, University of QueenslandAbstract Background Despite progress, stillbirth rates in many high- and upper-middle income countries remain high, and the majority of these deaths are preventable. We introduce the Ending Preventable Stillbirths (EPS) Scorecard for High- and Upper Middle-Income Countries, a tool to track progress against the Lancet’s 2016 EPS Series Call to Action, fostering transparency, consistency and accountability. Methods The Scorecard for EPS in High- and Upper-Middle Income Countries was adapted from the Scorecard for EPS in Low-Income Countries, which includes 20 indicators to track progress against the eight Call to Action targets. The Scorecard for High- and Upper-Middle Income Countries includes 23 indicators tracking progress against these same Call to Action targets. For this inaugural version of the Scorecard, 13 high- and upper-middle income countries supplied data. Data were collated and compared between and within countries. Results Data were complete for 15 of 23 indicators (65%). Five key issues were identified: (1) there is wide variation in stillbirth rates and related perinatal outcomes, (2) definitions of stillbirth and related perinatal outcomes vary widely across countries, (3) data on key risk factors for stillbirth are often missing and equity is not consistently tracked, (4) most countries lack guidelines and targets for critical areas for stillbirth prevention and care after stillbirth and have not set a national stillbirth rate target, and (5) most countries do not have mechanisms in place for reduction of stigma or guidelines around bereavement care. Conclusions This inaugural version of the Scorecard for High- and Upper-Middle Income Countries highlights important gaps in performance indicators for stillbirth both between and within countries. The Scorecard provides a basis for future assessment of progress and can be used to help hold individual countries accountable, especially for reducing stillbirth inequities in disadvantaged groups.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-023-05765-5StillbirthHigh-income countriesHigh-resource settingScorecardEquityStigma |
| spellingShingle | Esti Charlotte de Graaff Susannah Hopkins Leisher Hannah Blencowe Harriet Lawford Jillian Cassidy Paul Richard Cassidy Elizabeth S. Draper Alexander E. P. Heazell Mary Kinney Paula Quigley Claudia Ravaldi Claire Storey Alfredo Vannacci the E. P. S. in High-Resource Countries Scorecard Collaboration Group Vicki Flenady Ending preventable stillbirths and improving bereavement care: a scorecard for high- and upper-middle income countries BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Stillbirth High-income countries High-resource setting Scorecard Equity Stigma |
| title | Ending preventable stillbirths and improving bereavement care: a scorecard for high- and upper-middle income countries |
| title_full | Ending preventable stillbirths and improving bereavement care: a scorecard for high- and upper-middle income countries |
| title_fullStr | Ending preventable stillbirths and improving bereavement care: a scorecard for high- and upper-middle income countries |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ending preventable stillbirths and improving bereavement care: a scorecard for high- and upper-middle income countries |
| title_short | Ending preventable stillbirths and improving bereavement care: a scorecard for high- and upper-middle income countries |
| title_sort | ending preventable stillbirths and improving bereavement care a scorecard for high and upper middle income countries |
| topic | Stillbirth High-income countries High-resource setting Scorecard Equity Stigma |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-023-05765-5 |
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