The Lancet Stillbirth Series

by Claudia Ravaldi
The Lancet - UK
The Lancet - UK

In April 2011 The Lancet, the prestigious journal that is a reference for thousands of doctors around the world, published a special issue entirely dedicated to intrauterine death, with a series of six articles written by researchers from all over the world. The series was presented in Florence by CiaoLapo Onlus, the Italian partner of the Lancet Stillbirth Series steering commitee, which collaborated in carrying out the surveys.

Three million babies die in the wombs of their mothers every year worldwide.
This death rate is double, to give an example of that from AIDS.
It is necessary for the world, the media and the political classes to pay attention to these dramatic data.
8770 deaths a day, and apparently no awareness, social and health, on intrauterine death.
Apparently, there is no “remedy” for this painful epidemic.

The series of articles covers both the most recent global epidemiological statistics, as well as the causes and preventive strategies, both from the perspective of developing and high-income countries.
The message is that intrauterine death is a very often overlooked and neglected health priority , and that there is strong evidence that the rate of intrauterine deaths could be significantly reduced. Furthermore, the series points out that some relatively simple and inexpensive steps are required to achieve this goal.
This issue entirely dedicated to intrauterine death offers the opportunity to spread throughout the world and therefore to change strategy in many countries and also in ours.
CiaoLapo Onlus , as a member of the International Stillbirth Alliance has the merit and the opportunity to be the Italian referent of this event , of great consolation and hope for parents who have already lost a child, and today face mourning with courage and tenacity, and fundamental for all parents who will come, in order to protect them as much as possible from the loss of a pregnant baby.

The Lancet published their issue of intrauterine death on Thursday 14 April 2011. The spread occurred simultaneously in many parts of the world.

Among the partners of this important initiative, the International Stillbirth Alliance , the World Health Organization , Save the Children , UNICEF , UNFPA and other international organizations, including CiaoLapo Onlus .
The work, sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation , aims to act on all fields to promote significant change in intrauterine death rates by 2020.
The entire sample of articles can be downloaded directly from The Lancet website and is accessible to all.
CiaoLapo, Italian partner of the International Stillbirth Alliance, participated in the collection of Italian data and edited the Italian translation of the Executive Summary .
The event was promoted with a round table and a press conference held on April 15, 2011 at 11 am in room 009 of the New Entrance of Careggi (NIC), viale Morgagni 85, Florence.

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