Introduction:
Intervention bias refers to a systematic difference in management or
variable exposure among subjects in studies, which can significantly
influence outcomes. In the context of stillbirth research, the
identification of high-risk profiles leads to modified management of
pregnancies aimed at reducing stillbirth incidence. From a scientific
perspective, therefore, it is crucial to identify near-misses: the
stillbirths that would have occurred if management had remained
unchanged.
The Wellcome Leap In Utero program
(https://wellcomeleap.org/inutero/), with its goal to tackle the
global issue of stillbirth, endeavors to develop scalable capacity for
accurate measurement, modeling, and prediction, with the aim of halving
stillbirth rates without increasing provider-initiated delivery within
the next 5-10 years. Fifteen programs were selected to collaboratively
improve the identification of at-risk fetuses using various
technologies. During the Principal Investigator (PI) meeting held in
Horsley, UK, from March 5-7, 2023, a time-condensed Delphi consensus
procedure was employed to address the need for synchronized stillbirth
near-miss definition.