The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has launched a groundbreaking initiative to address the country’s persistent stillbirth crisis. The study collates medical records of 2.29 lakh pregnancies across nine states. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a stillbirth is when a baby is born without signs of life after 28 weeks of pregnancy. Currently, India records 14 stillbirths per 1,000 births and aims to reduce this to fewer than 10 by 2030.
The ICMR-Stillbirth Pooled India Cohort (ICMR-SPIC) represents an unprecedented collaboration in Indian medical research. Drawing from 10 research groups across 17 locations, the study captures the diversity of India’s population. This broad scope allows researchers to identify patterns and risk factors that smaller studies may miss. “If a single dataset cannot cover the diversity needed in the data… it is better to have pooled datasets,” explains Assistant Professor Palash Ghosh from IITGuwahati’s Department of Mathematics.
Pooled methodology is particularly valuable in studying complex health issues like stillbirth, where multiple factors — including location, genetics, and economic status — influence outcomes. “With diverse populations, the conclusions made from the data become truly representative,” says Ghosh.
The project, despite its scale, faces several challenges. These include variations in data collection methods, incomplete information about stillbirth timing, and inconsistent records of medical care during delivery.
To ensure reliability, the ICMR-SPIC consortium reports that rigorous data standardisation procedures were implemented. Researchers reviewed and harmonised information across studies to maintain consistency.
The ICMR-SPIC initiative looks to translate research into practical tools for medical professionals. The study will help develop predictive models for identifying high-risk pregnancies, creating guidelines for targeted interventions, and establishing frameworks for clinical decision-making.
(Yasaswini Sampathkumar is a writer based in Guwahati)