Trends Associated with Stillbirth in a Maternity Hospital School in the North Zone of São Paulo: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective To evaluate conditions associated with stillbirth (SB), and possible trends related with it, in a maternity hospital school in the North zone of São Paulo.

Methods An observational, cross-sectional study conducted at the Hospital Maternidade-escola de Vila Nova Cachoeirinha with 1,139 SBs in the period of 2003 to 2017. Cases of intermediate SB (ISB) (weight between 500 and 999 g) and late SB (LSB) (weight ≥ 1,000 g) were compared. We evaluated clinical data, laboratory tests, and fetal and placental studies. Data were stored in Windows Excel (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA) worksheets, according to which graphs and tables were constructed. We used the statistical software SPSS for Windows version 18.0 (SPSS In., Chicago, IL, USA), estimating the prevalence ratio (PR) and odds ratio (OR), considering the 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Results The general SB rate was 11.9%, and the in-hospital SB rate was 2.8%. Pregnant women younger than 16 years of age were more likely to have ISB (OR 0.32, 0.15–0.76), while patients older than 40 years old had a higher chance of LSB (PR 0.85, 0.72–0.99). A total of 25.7% of the general population did not have prenatal care, and 77.1% of the cases presented fetal death at admission. The cases of ISB had a statistically significant association with home birth (OR 0.61, 0.46–0.80). Cesarean section was performed in 16.1% of the subjects, and misoprostol was the most used method for induction. Necropsy and placental study of the fetuses were performed, respectively, in 94.2% and 97.3% of the cases. Associated causes were not identified in 22.1% of the cases, and the main causes identified were amniotic sac infections (27.9%), fetal malformations (12.5%), placental abruption (11.2%), hypertensive syndromes (8.5%), and maternal syphilis (3.9%), the latter with an increasing trend.

Conclusion Among the factors associated to SB were: hypertensive syndromes, amniotic sac infections, fetal malformations, placental abruption and syphilis. There was a growing trend in the number of cases of syphilis, which translates an alert. Diagnostic limitations justify indeterminate causes.

Resumo

Objetivo Avaliar aspectos relacionados à ocorrência da condição de natimortalidade em uma maternidade-escola na zona norte de São Paulo e possíveis tendências associadas aos fatores causais.

Métodos Estudo observacional, transversal, realizado no Hospital Maternidade-escola Vila Nova Cachoeirinha com 1.139 óbitos fetais (OF) no período de 2003 a 2017. Foram comparados os casos de OF intermediários (OFI) (peso entre 500 e 999 g) e OF tardios (OFT) (≥ 1,000 g). Avaliamos dados clínicos, exames laboratoriais, e estudos do feto e da placenta; estes foram armazenados em planilhas de Windows Excel (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA USA0, utilizando-se para avaliação estatística o programa SPSS v.18 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, EUA). Foram ainda estimadas a razão de prevalência (RP) e a razão de chances (RC), com intervalo de confiança de 95% (IC 95%).

Resultados O coeficiente de natimortalidade geral foi de 11,9% e o intra-hospitalar foi de 2,8%. Gestantes com menos de 16 anos de idade apresentaram maior chance de ter OFI (RC 0.32, 0.15–0.76) enquanto que pacientes com mais de 40 anos de idade apresentaram maior chance de OFT (RP 0,85; 0,72–0,99). Não fizeram prenatal 25,7% da população geral, sendo que em 77,1% dos casos, a morte fetal já tinha sido apresentada na internação. Os casos de OFI apresentaram associação estatisticamente significante com parto domiciliar (RC 0,42; 0,23–0,75). A cesárea foi realizada em 16,1% das pacientes, sendo o misoprostol o método mais utilizado para indução. Necropsia foi feita em 94,2% dos fetos, e 97,3% das placentas foram para estudo. As causas associadas não foram identificadas em 22,1% dos casos, sendo que as principais causas identificadas foram infecções do saco amniótico e membranas (27,9%), malformações (12,5%), descolamento prematuro de placenta (11,2%), síndromes hipertensivas (8,5%), e sífilis (3,9%), sendo esta última com uma tendência crescente.

Conclusão Destacaram-se como fatores associados à natimortalidade: síndromes hipertensivas, corioamnionites, malformações fetais, descolamento placentário e sífilis. Houve tendência de aumento no número de casos de sífilis, o que traduz uma alerta. Limitações diagnósticas justificam as causas indeterminadas.

Keywords

stillbirth - epidemiology - primary health care - prenatal care - pregnancy high-risk

Palavras-chave

natimorto - epidemiologia - atenção primária à saúde - cuidado pré-natal - gravidez de alto risco

Contributions

Each author participated actively in the planning, execution, and conduction of this study. The authors proposed the manuscript, edited, and approved the final version to be published.

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