Researchers
Research Area
Project type
Fellowship
Year of funding
2014
Globally, nearly 1% of all pregnancies end in stillbirth (3 million each year). The magnitude and gravity of stillbirth is such that in 2011 an entire Lancet series was devoted to it and urged a strong call to action, concluding that greater knowledge of causes is a key health priority. In Australia, stillbirth accounts for around 70% of all perinatal deaths (7 deaths per day) and is nearly 40 times more common than Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Existing knowledge has had no impact on reducing the stillbirth rate, and a 2013 BMJ review of the UK data on stillbirth concluded "preventive strategies need to focus on improving antenatal detection".