Preventing and addressing stillbirths along the continuum of care: A global advocacy and implementation guide

Number of pages: 86

Publication date: 23 May 2023

Publisher: UNFPA, UNICEF, USAID, International Stillbirth Alliance, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

This guide is intended to provide technical resources and practical guidance for stillbirth advocacy and programme planning at national and subnational levels. The guide does not present new information but rather brings together existing resources, global guidance, and toolkits in one place to inform planning, investments and programmes aimed at ending preventable stillbirths and improving care for all women and families who experience stillbirth. In doing so, gaps in available resources are also highlighted.

The target audience of this guide includes:

Country-level and subnational governments and stakeholders, including ministries of health, civil registration authorities and national statistics offices.
Health-professional organizations including national medical, midwifery and nursing associations and other relevant bodies.
Hospital and health facility directors, managers, and administrators.

It is anticipated that the guide will also be useful for parents, parent organizations, community leaders, individual clinicians and others who advocate for stillbirth prevention and respectful and supportive care after stillbirth to be integrated along the continuum of maternal and child health care.

Included in this guide are links to global guidelines, toolkits, key initiatives, training resources, data sources and publications about stillbirth and care along the continuum of maternal and child health. Case studies from a wide range of geographical contexts are also included to illustrate what can be achieved.