EFFECTS OF SELECTED SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC, MATERNAL, SERVICE-RELATED AND PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK FACTORS FOR STILL BIRTHS DELIVERED IN DISTRICT GENERAL HOSPITAL, MATARA, SRI LANKA DURING 2015-2018

Background and objectives: Still births are a significant health problem in Sri Lanka. It is estimated that 6.1 still births per 1000 live births were reported in Sri Lanka in 2017. Almost half of stillbirths happen when the woman is in labour. The majority of stillbirths are preventable, evidenced by the regional variation across the world. This work was designed to find out effects of selected sociodemographic, maternal, service-related and psychological risk factors on still births. Materials and methods: This is an unmatched case control study conducted in District General Hospital, Matara and included 884 study subjects (cases and controls 442 each). Results: Exposure to kitchen smoke (OR:2.18, 95% CI:1.62-6.06), maternal age < 20 years (OR:3.18, 95% CI:2.72-5.65), BMI > 26 kg/m2 (OR:2.51, 95% CI:2.34- 5.73), maternal hypertension(OR: 3.34, 95% CI:1.62 6.06 ) and maternal diabetes (OR: 2.58 , 95% CI:1.31 6.36) Conclusion: Exposure to kitchen smoke, maternal age < 20 years, BMI > 26 kg/m2, maternal hypertension and maternal diabetes were risk factors for still births.