Identification of factors associated with stillbirth in the Indian state of Bihar using verbal autopsy: A population-based study.

To our knowledge, this study is among the few large, population-based assessments of stillbirths using verbal autopsy at the state level in India. These findings provide detailed insight into investigating the possible risk factors for stillbirths, as well as insight into the ground-level changes that are needed within the health system to design and implement effective preventive and intervention policies to reduce the burden of stillbirths. As most of the stillbirths are preventable with high-quality, evidence-based interventions delivered before and during pregnancy and during labour and childbirth, it is imperative that with INAP in place, India aspires to document stillbirths in a systematic and standardised manner to bridge the knowledge gap for appropriate actions to reduce stillbirths. We have made several recommendations based on our study that could further strengthen the INAP approach to improve the quality and quantity of stillbirth data to avoid this needless loss of lives.