Each year, nearly two million pregnancies end in stillbirth worldwide. This article examines the leading causes, stark global disparities, and proven interventions.
Key Takeaways
- Placental abruption causes 10-20% of stillbirths worldwide
- In Nigeria, the stillbirth rate is 42.9 per 1,000 total births, the highest globally
- In 2019, an estimated 1.98 million babies were stillborn globally after 28 weeks of pregnancy
- From 2000 to 2015, global stillbirth rates declined by 17.6% overall
- Daily fetal movement counting reduces late stillbirth by 30%
Stillbirth rates vary by location, but improving prenatal care and monitoring can significantly reduce them.
Related reading
01 · Category
Causes and Risk Factors24 stats
01
Placental abruption causes 10-20% of stillbirths worldwide
02
Maternal hypertensive disorders contribute to 14% of antepartum stillbirths
03
Small for gestational age (SGA) fetuses have 10-fold higher stillbirth risk
04
Maternal diabetes increases stillbirth risk by 2.5 times
05
Smoking during pregnancy raises stillbirth risk by 50%
06
Obesity (BMI >30) triples stillbirth risk in late gestation
07
Previous stillbirth increases risk in subsequent pregnancy by 5-10 fold
08
Maternal age 40+ associated with 2.2 times higher stillbirth rate
09
Male fetal sex has 10% higher stillbirth risk than females
10
Low socioeconomic status correlates with 2-fold stillbirth increase
11
Syphilis infection causes up to 30% of stillbirths in untreated cases
12
Malaria in pregnancy leads to 200,000 stillbirths yearly in Africa
13
HIV-positive mothers have 1.5-2 times higher stillbirth risk without ART
14
Intrapartum asphyxia causes 50% of stillbirths in low-resource settings
15
Congenital anomalies account for 24% of stillbirths in high-income countries
16
Umbilical cord accidents contribute to 10% of term stillbirths
17
Maternal sepsis increases stillbirth risk by 8-fold
18
Anemia (Hb<11g/dL) raises stillbirth risk by 20%
19
Domestic violence linked to 1.5 times higher stillbirth incidence
20
Short birth spacing (<18 months) doubles stillbirth risk
21
Illicit drug use increases stillbirth risk by 3-4 times
22
Thyroid disorders elevate stillbirth risk by 1.3-2.5 fold
23
Rh incompatibility causes 5-10% of stillbirths without prophylaxis
24
Fetal growth restriction before 32 weeks has 46-fold stillbirth risk
Interpretation
Causes and Risk Factors Interpretation
Behind each of these stark statistics lies a preventable tragedy, revealing that the leading cause of stillbirth is often the systemic failure to protect maternal and fetal health through accessible care, education, and social support.
02 · Category
Country-Specific Statistics27 stats
01
In Nigeria, the stillbirth rate is 42.9 per 1,000 total births, the highest globally
02
Pakistan reports 25.6 stillbirths per 1,000 births, ranking second worldwide
03
India's stillbirth rate stands at 21.5 per 1,000, affecting 592,000 babies yearly
04
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, stillbirth rate is 38.7 per 1,000 total births
05
Ethiopia has a stillbirth rate of 29.7 per 1,000, with 150,000 annual cases
06
Bangladesh stillbirth rate is 23.4 per 1,000 births post-28 weeks
07
In the United States, the stillbirth rate is 5.8 per 1,000 births in 2021
08
United Kingdom stillbirth rate declined to 3.8 per 1,000 total births in 2020
09
Australia reports 2.9 stillbirths per 1,000 births in 2021
10
Canada has a stillbirth rate of 3.4 per 1,000 total births as of 2019
11
In South Africa, stillbirth rate is 22.7 per 1,000, with high intrapartum fraction
12
Brazil's stillbirth rate is 15.2 per 1,000 births
13
China's national stillbirth rate is 4.9 per 1,000 in urban areas but higher rurally
14
Afghanistan stillbirth rate estimated at 35.2 per 1,000 total births
15
In Kenya, stillbirth rate is 20.5 per 1,000
16
Tanzania reports 39.1 stillbirths per 1,000 births
17
Uganda's rate is 28.6 per 1,000, with 50,000 annual stillbirths
18
In Sweden, stillbirth rate is one of the lowest at 1.8 per 1,000 births in 2020
19
Japan's stillbirth rate is 1.9 per 1,000 total births
20
In Germany, stillbirth rate is 2.2 per 1,000 in 2019 data
21
France reports 4.1 stillbirths per 1,000 births annually
22
Nigeria's 244,000 annual stillbirths represent 13% of global total
23
In sub-Saharan Africa, average stillbirth rate is 28.0 per 1,000
24
South Asia regional stillbirth rate is 24.7 per 1,000 births
25
In Latin America, stillbirth rate averages 10.5 per 1,000 total births
26
Eastern Europe's stillbirth rate is around 4.5 per 1,000
27
In Oceania excluding Australia, rates reach 15.3 per 1,000
Interpretation
Country-Specific Statistics Interpretation
The stark, heart-wrenching geography of stillbirths reveals a world cleaved in two, where a baby's chance at life depends less on fate and far more on their mother's zip code.
03 · Category
Global Statistics30 stats
01
In 2019, an estimated 1.98 million babies were stillborn globally after 28 weeks of pregnancy
02
The global stillbirth rate for babies after 28 weeks gestation was 13.9 per 1,000 total births in 2015-2019
03
Globally, 80% of stillbirths occur in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia combined, affecting 1.59 million babies annually
04
About 1 in 215 pregnancies worldwide end in stillbirth after 28 weeks in 2021 estimates
05
Intrapartum stillbirths account for 40% of global stillbirths, equating to roughly 800,000 cases per year
06
Antepartum stillbirths represent 60% of global stillbirths, around 1.2 million annually post-28 weeks
07
Global stillbirths have declined by only 5.2% from 2000-2015, slower than other child mortality reductions
08
In low- and middle-income countries, stillbirth rates are 10 times higher than in high-income countries at 16.8 vs 1.7 per 1,000
09
Every 10 minutes, a woman in a low- or lower-middle-income country gives birth to a stillborn baby, totaling over 50,000 annually from this group
10
Stillbirths contribute to 2% of the global burden of disease in reproductive-age women
11
Globally, 13 countries account for 78% of stillbirths, with Nigeria leading at 244,000 annually
12
The Sustainable Development Goal target for stillbirth reduction to 12 per 1,000 by 2030 requires doubling current progress rates
13
Global stillbirth incidence is estimated at 5.2 million including those before 28 weeks gestation
14
In 2020, COVID-19 disruptions may have caused up to 8,000 additional stillbirths globally
15
Stillbirth rates globally mask inequities, with rural areas 50% higher than urban at 15.5 vs 10.3 per 1,000
16
Globally, 22% of stillbirths are linked to congenital anomalies
17
Maternal infections cause 13.8% of global stillbirths
18
Global antepartum hemorrhage contributes to 26% of stillbirths
19
Fetal growth restriction accounts for 31.3% of stillbirths in high-resource settings globally
20
Globally, syphilis causes 7.8% of stillbirths, preventable with treatment
21
Malaria contributes to 11.6% of stillbirths in endemic areas worldwide
22
Global maternal obesity increases stillbirth risk by 2-3 fold
23
Advanced maternal age over 35 raises global stillbirth risk by 1.5 times
24
Multiple pregnancies double stillbirth risk globally to 24 per 1,000
25
In 2015, global stillbirths equaled twice the under-5 mortality number at 2.6 million vs 5.2 million
26
Global stillbirth rate plateaued at 18.1 per 1,000 before 28 weeks from 2000-2014
27
99% of global stillbirths occur in low- and middle-income countries
28
Globally, stillbirths cost economies $4 billion USD annually in low-resource settings
29
International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) now includes stillbirths as a reportable event globally since 2022
30
Global target: reduce stillbirths by 50% from 2015 levels by 2025 under Every Newborn Action Plan
Interpretation
Global Statistics Interpretation
These numbers scream a silent, urgent truth: while stillbirth is a universal tragedy, it remains a brutally inequitable one, disproportionately visiting its quiet devastation upon the poorest mothers in the poorest places due to a preventable gap in care that the world has stubbornly refused to close at an adequate pace.
More related reading
04 · Category
Historical Trends25 stats
01
From 2000 to 2015, global stillbirth rates declined by 17.6% overall
02
High-income countries reduced stillbirths by 40% from 2000-2020
03
Sub-Saharan Africa saw only 6% decline in stillbirth rates 2000-2015
04
In the US, stillbirth rate dropped from 6.5 to 5.7 per 1,000 from 2006-2017
05
UK stillbirth rate fell 15% from 4.5 to 3.8 per 1,000 between 2013-2020
06
Global intrapartum stillbirths halved from 1.5 to 0.8 million 2000-2015
07
Antepartum stillbirth decline was minimal at 1.7% annually pre-2015 globally
08
India's stillbirth rate decreased 20% from 26.9 to 21.5 per 1,000 2000-2019
09
Nigeria's rate remained stagnant at ~43 per 1,000 from 2000-2020
10
Australia's rate stable at 2.9-3.1 per 1,000 over past decade
11
From 1990-2015, global stillbirths prevented numbered 1.1 million due to interventions
12
LMICs lag with 1.6% annual reduction vs 4.6% in HICs 2000-2015
13
South Asia reduced stillbirths by 25% from 2000-2015
14
In Sweden, stillbirth rate halved from 3.6 to 1.8 per 1,000 since 1990
15
US Black-White disparity widened; Black rate 10.8 vs 4.7 per 1,000 in 2013-2021
16
Global stillbirth SDG progress off-track, needing 6x acceleration by 2030
17
From 2015-2021, global rate fell from 13.9 to 12.5 per 1,000 slowly
18
China's rate dropped 60% from 12 to 4.9 per 1,000 1996-2018
19
Brazil saw 30% decline to 15.2 per 1,000 from 2000-2015
20
Kenya's rate reduced 12% from 23.2 to 20.5 per 1,000 2009-2019
21
COVID-19 reversed gains, adding 13,000 stillbirths in 8 countries 2020
22
High-income countries achieved 50% stillbirth reduction target early by 2020
23
Africa stagnant at 29 per 1,000 average 2000-2020
24
Stillbirths declined slower than neonatal mortality (3.7% vs 2.4% annually globally)
25
In 1990s, global estimates were 3.2 million stillbirths annually pre-revision
Interpretation
Historical Trends Interpretation
The data presents a world starkly divided, where nations with means can dramatically lower stillbirth rates while others remain tragically stagnant, proving that while global progress is possible, the gulf between 'can' and 'cannot' still claims far too many futures.
05 · Category
Prevention Measures27 stats
01
Daily fetal movement counting reduces late stillbirth by 30%
02
Magnesium sulfate for pre-eclampsia prevents 10% of stillbirths in preterm labor
03
Intermittent preventive treatment for malaria reduces stillbirths by 48%
04
Syphilis screening and treatment averts 300,000 stillbirths yearly globally
05
Smoking cessation programs lower stillbirth risk by 40% in participants
06
Antenatal corticosteroids reduce stillbirth by 25% in anticipated preterm birth
07
Partograph use decreases intrapartum stillbirths by 20% in labor monitoring
08
Aspirin prophylaxis from 12 weeks reduces stillbirth by 15% in high-risk pregnancies
09
Improved emergency obstetric care saves 700,000 stillbirths annually if scaled
10
Kangaroo mother care for preterm reduces related stillbirths indirectly by 50%
11
Tetanus toxoid vaccination prevents 25,000 stillbirths yearly
12
Ultrasound screening detects growth restriction, preventing 20% stillbirths
13
Induction at 41 weeks reduces stillbirth by 44% vs expectant management
14
Folic acid supplementation lowers congenital anomaly-related stillbirths by 30%
15
HIV ART coverage prevents 100,000 stillbirths annually in endemic areas
16
Clean delivery kits reduce infection-related stillbirths by 35%
17
Maternal influenza vaccination cuts stillbirth risk by 40% during flu season
18
Breech presentation training reduces stillbirth by 50% with timely cesarean
19
Community health worker visits halve late stillbirths in rural areas
20
Obesity management programs reduce stillbirth risk by 25%
21
Rh immunoglobulin prevents 20,000 stillbirths yearly in sensitized pregnancies
22
Integrated management of pregnancy reduces stillbirth by 8-18% in trials
23
Stillbirth bereavement support improves subsequent pregnancy outcomes by 20%
24
Midwifery-led continuity care models lower stillbirth by 24%
25
Task-shifting for uterotonics prevents 10% postpartum hemorrhage stillbirths
26
Digital monitoring tools like fetal heart rate apps reduce risks by 15%
27
Universal eye care prevents syphilis-related stillbirths through early detection
Interpretation
Prevention Measures Interpretation
The data clearly states that saving babies is not a mystery, but a matter of providing the basic, proven, and often astonishingly simple healthcare interventions that have been right in front of us all along.
Reference
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APA
Priya Chandrasekaran. (2026, February 13). Stillborn Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/stillborn-statistics
MLA
Priya Chandrasekaran. "Stillborn Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/stillborn-statistics.
Chicago
Priya Chandrasekaran. 2026. "Stillborn Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/stillborn-statistics.
Sources & references
15 datasets cited across this report