ICMR to promote research into stillbirths to reduce it to single digits by 2030
In a bid to bring down stillbirths to single digits by 2030, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, has taken an initiative to encourage collaborative, multi-center/multi-institutional interdisciplinary research to investigate and examine the issue of stillbirths and find appropriate antenatal management to reduce preventable stillbirths and improve the pregnancy outcomes.
Stillbirths are a hidden tragedy that impacts millions of women and families across the globe daily. India had made substantial progress in reducing its stillbirth rate over the past two decades—a 53 per cent reduction (from 29.6 per 1,000 live births to 13.9 between 2000 and 2019 according to a UNICEF report). As per official data in 2020, out of 1000 babies born in India, 20 die within 12 months of their birth in the country.
“The stillbirth rate may be one of the indicators of the quality of a country’s medical system. Stillbirth has multifactorial etiologies. Early identification of risk factors for stillbirth and appropriate antenatal management may reduce preventable stillbirths and improve the pregnancy outcomes. The India Newborn Action Plan (INAP) by the central government now plans to bring down stillbirths to single digits by 2030. There is a need for research into the causes of stillbirth and effective prevention and treatment of these causes,” said a senior scientist of ICMR.
The ICMR expert group on Still Births has identified three key thematic areas– epidemiology, diagnostics and prevention and implementation research for health system strengthening to prioritize and articulate research challenges. Interested applicants are required to submit concept proposals under these areas by December 30, 2022, he stated.
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“We encourage collaborative, multi-center/multi-institutional interdisciplinary research initiatives to investigate and examine the issue of stillbirths holistically. For implementation research, partnerships of academic/research organizations with public healthcare delivery system will be encouraged. All concept proposals for implementation research must have a co-principal investigator from the public health care delivery system,” he added.
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