Risk Factors of Preterm Birth among Palestinian Women: Case Control Study

Introduction: Preterm birth is the delivery of an infant before 37 weeks of gestation. It is a major public health problem. Prematurity is the leading cause of infant mortality and morbidity worldwide. The purpose of this study is to identify the risk factors of preterm birth and possible determinants among Palestinian women in the Northern part of the West Bank. Methodology: A case control study of 100 cases of preterm delivery and 201 controls of full term delivery was carried out. The cases were taken from three governmental hospitals in the Northern West Bank. The data was analyzed by using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19. Frequencies, Chi-square and multiple regressions were done to explore the relation between the dependent variable (preterm birth) and the other independent variables. The study took six months starting from the first of May 2013 to the 31 of October 2013. Face to face interviews using a questionnaire were used. Result: The results show that the main risk factors of preterm birth are the following: medical indication for pregnancy termination, (p= 0.001), (95% CI 0.328- 0.617); Preterm Premature Rupture of Membrane (PPROM), (p=0.006), (95% CI 0.079- 0.462); previous history of preterm delivery, (p=0.007), (95% CI 0.049- 0.309); and disorders associated with pregnancy, (p= 0 .015), (95%, CI 0.028-0.254t). Other risk factors identified by the study are the following: type of family, congenital gynecological problems, family history of preterm birth, previous delivery by Caesarean Section (CS), daily, vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, psychological problems, and height. Conclusion: The main risk factors of preterm birth were multiple pregnancies, medical indications for preterm birth (mainly preeclampsia), placenta previa, abruption placenta, previous Caesarean Section, the presence of a disorder associated with pregnancy (mainly hypertensive disorder), preterm premature rupture of membrane, and a previous history of preterm birth.