PRETERM BIRTH IN RURAL AND URBAN AREAS OF HISAR, HARYANA

A research study was conducted in Hisar city of Haryana in 2013. Seventy five women, each from rural and urban areas, who have delivered preterm baby, were interviewed for the study. The main objective of the study was to know the association between the different risk factors for preterm deliveries and areas of residence. It was found that in spite of less socio economic difference between the rural and urban areas selected for the study the risk factors namely, mother age at marriage, at the time of first birth, at the time of preterm birth, type of delivery, average spacing between children and for preterm babies, and sequence of the preterm birth, for preterm birth was found significantly associated with area of residence. The occurrence of preterm birth in rural areas was found high. Further, these preterm born babies were with less gestational age, less in weight and high mortality number was noticed in rural areas against the urban.