Women in India experiencing moderate to severe anemia during pregnancy face a 27 percent increased risk of stillbirth after 28 weeks, according to research published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia. The analysis indicates that stillbirths tend to occur around the 29th week among those with severe anemia, versus the 31st week for others. Researchers from institutions including the University of Oxford, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and Indian Institute of Public Health Bengaluru noted that anemia in expectant mothers represents a key modifiable risk factor. They recommended that stillbirth reduction policies emphasize comprehensive prevention and treatment for pregnant women. Anemia involves insufficient red blood cells or hemoglobin. The study examined data from the ICMR-Stillbirth Pooled Indian Cohort Consortium covering 214,709 single-fetus pregnancies with known outcomes and hemoglobin levels. Over half the women, or 108,982, had moderate to severe anemia defined as hemoglobin below 10 grams per deciliter, with 3,595 stillbirths recorded overall. Severe anemia tripled the risk while moderate anemia raised it by 1.2 times compared to no or mild cases. The multi-cohort dataset drew from eight observational studies and two trials across ten Indian states. The findings reinforce connections between maternal anemia and stillbirth, suggesting interventions at any pregnancy stage could lower risks, though non-modifiable causes may need different approaches. Potential mechanisms include fetal oxidative stress or cardiovascular issues.
