Why newborn deaths and stillbirths are high in India
The dynamics of late fetal and neonatal mortality in the Indian context
This project looks at why stillbirths and deaths in the first month are common in India and aims to improve how they are counted and understood.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11393531 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your point of view, researchers will analyze birth and death records, household surveys, and hospital data from across India to find where babies who are stillborn or die in their first month are being missed or misclassified. They will study how prematurity, low birth weight, and being small for gestational age relate to those early deaths. The team will compare different data sources and improve methods for identifying and counting these events. The goal is to pinpoint areas with the biggest gaps so local health programs can target care and measurement.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The focus is on pregnant people, newborns, and their families in India—especially in areas with high stillbirth and neonatal death rates.
Not a fit: People outside India or those not involved in pregnancy or early newborn care are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could give more accurate counts and clearer causes of newborn deaths so health programs can better target prevention and care.
How similar studies have performed: Previous national and global analyses have revealed undercounting and misclassification of early deaths but have not fully resolved these problems, so this work builds on past findings with more detailed data and methods.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Guillot, Michel — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Guillot, Michel
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.