AFRICA, Jan. 11 -- NEARLY one million babies are stillborn in Africa every year. Behind every stillbirth is a mother, a family and a story left untold.

Most of these are preventable, many unrecorded, and too often invisible. Each number hides a moment of heartbreak, and every uncounted loss represents a missed opportunity to learn and to act.

A stillbirth is the loss of a baby after 20 or 24 weeks of pregnancy, meaning the baby is born without any signs of life, and its a devastating experience often caused by placental issues, infections, genetic problems, or complications like preeclampsia, though sometimes the cause remains unknown.

Key signs can include reduced fetal movement, and management involves delivering the baby followed by...