- The Lancet Ending preventable stillbirth Series
- Social media toolkit: Launch of Lancet Stillbirth Series
The Lancet Ending preventable stillbirth Series was released on January 19th and reports the present state of stillbirths, highlights missed opportunities, and identifies actions for accelerated progress to end preventable stillbirths and reach 2030 maternal, neonatal, and child survival targets. This five-paper Series follows The Lancet’sStillbirth Series in 2011, Every Newborn Series in 2014 and Midwifery Series in 2014 and shows that more must be done to integrate stillbirth prevention within global and national agendas for high quality health care for women, adolescents, and babies.
Globally, more women survive pregnancy and childbirth—and more children survive their early years—than ever before. Still, unacceptably high levels of maternal and newborn mortality and stillbirths impede the realization of healthy and sustainable societies. Each day, 800 women and 7,400 newborns die from preventable complications related to pregnancy, childbirth and other causes. An additional 7,200 women experience a stillbirth.
A staggering 98% of Stillbirths occur in low and middle income countries. The Series presents the rates and risk factors for stillbirths as well as the economic and psychosocial consequences are assessed as are what can be done to turn the tide and end preventable stillbirths together with newborn and maternal deaths.
The Every Newborn Action Plan showed that 3 million babies and women could be saved each year through investing in quality care around the time of birth and with special care for sick and small newborns. Most stillbirths are also preventable through high quality antenatal and intrapartum care within the continuum of care for women and children. More action is needed if we are to prevent these deaths.
The Lancet Ending Preventable Stillbirths series partnership has developed this Toolkit that suggests how you can help to spread the information in these important papers including tips for launch events and social media.