Pregnancy History Model Analysis Plan: Determinants of Stillbirth

The analysis is based on data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program, which is a principal source of international data on fertility, family planning, maternal and child health, nutrition, mortality, environmental health, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and provision of health services. The report focuses on the analysis of stillbirth data using two new datasets, the GR and NR files, which were introduced in the DHS-8 survey. The GR file contains data on 15 countries, while the NR file contains data on 10 countries. The analysis aims to identify the characteristics associated with stillbirth, including maternal and pregnancy characteristics, and to examine the relationship between these characteristics and the risk of stillbirth. The report describes the requirements for the analysis, including the description of relevant data files and variables in the DHS-8 survey. The analysis plan outlines the steps to be taken to create the outcome variable, calculate the stillbirth rate, code the covariates, and apply the analytic approach. The report also presents the results of the bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis using the GR and NR files. The analysis reveals that certain maternal and pregnancy characteristics are associated with an increased risk of stillbirth. These characteristics include advanced maternal age, low education level, and a history of previous stillbirths. The analysis also shows that the risk of stillbirth is higher in countries with lower socioeconomic status and lower access to healthcare. The report concludes that the analysis provides valuable insights into the determinants of stillbirth and highlights the need for further research to identify effective interventions to reduce the risk of stillbirth. The findings of the analysis can be used to inform policy and program decisions aimed at improving maternal and child health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. The analysis plan is designed to be used as a guide for researchers and analysts working with DHS data to conduct similar analyses. The report provides a detailed description of the methods and procedures used in the analysis, including the creation of the outcome variable, the calculation of the stillbirth rate, and the application of the analytic approach. The results of the analysis are presented in several tables, including Table 3a and Table 3b, which show the distribution and crosstabulation of pregnancies ending in stillbirth by maternal and pregnancy characteristics using the GR and NR files, respectively. Table 4a and Table 4b present the bivariate and multivariable logistic regression results using the GR and NR files, respectively. The report is a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and survey specialists working in low- and middle-income countries. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the determinants of stillbirth and highlights the need for further research to identify effective interventions to reduce the risk of stillbirth.