Prevalence of abortion and stillbirth in dairy cows in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Pregnancy loss, including abortion and stillbirth, is a major cause of reproductive losses in dairy cattle, adversely affecting productivity and profitability in the dairy industry. This systematic review and quantitative data analysis was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines between April and November 2025.The study aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of abortion and stillbirth in dairy cattle in Ethiopia, based on studies published between 2015 and 2025, by utilizing a random effects model. A comprehensive search was conducted across various databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, with data extracted using standardized criteria. The analysis included 34 studies comprising 12,492 animals and 838 abortion events, and 16 studies comprising 6,418 animals and 190 stillbirth events. The pooled prevalence of abortion and stillbirth was 6.14% (95% CI: 4.92–7.63%) and 2.75% (95% CI: 1.83–4.09%), respectively. There was substantial heterogeneity among the included studies for both abortion and stillbirth, with (I²=90.1%, p < 0.0001) and (I²=87.5%, p < 0.0001), respectively. Subgroup analysis by study location revealed numerical variations (Tigray highest abortion 7.37%, Amhara highest stillbirth 4.58%) but no statistically significant differences between regions. Herd composition significantly influenced stillbirth prevalence (p = 0.0286), with mixed herd (local,…
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