Determinants Of Preterm Birth Among Mothers Who Gave Birth At Hospitals In South West Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Preterm birth is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as childbirth happening before 37 weeks gestational age. Every year, fifteen million infants are born prematurely across the world. Previously done researches mainly used secondary data to identify risk factors of preterm birth. Researches done on this area indicates not similar findings across different geographical settings and different periods. Objective: To identify determinants of preterm birth among women who gave birth in South West Shoa zone Hospitals, Oromia, Ethiopia from February 1, 2023 to March 15, 2023. Method: Unmatched facility based case-control study was conducted. The sample was 127 cases and 381 controls with a total of 508 study participants. Cases were selected by taking all cases during data collection and a systematic sampling technique was used for controls. The data was collected by an interviewer-administered questionnaire. After data collection, data were checked for completeness and coded, cleaned, and entered using EPI INFO version 7 and exported to SPSS version 21 for data analysis. Texts, tables, and proportions were used to present categorical data. Binary Logistic regression was carried out to identify independently associated factors of preterm birth. Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness fit test was checked and p value 0.205. Finally, in multivariable binary logistic regression analysis, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% CI and p-values less than 0.05 were used to identify significant variables. Results: - A total of 127 cases and 381controls participated in this study with a response rate of 100%. After adjusting for covariates the following variables were associated with preterm birth. Did not consume Milk and milk products (AOR: 4.91, 95% CI: 2.70-8.91), History of abortion (AOR: 2.15, 95%CI: 1.03-4.49), mid upper arm circumference <23cm (AOR: 2.19, 95% CI: 1.15-4.15). Didn’t have Antenatal care follow up (AOR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.09-3.92), residing in rural area (AOR: 6.65, 95%CI: 3.23-13.70), age older than 35years old (AOR: 5.64, 95%CI: 2.49-12.79), living in rent house (AOR:4.52 ,95% CI:2.20-9.31) and No additional food (AOR: 4.01, 95%CI: 2.21-7.29) were determinants, significantly associated with preterm birth. Conclusion: - This study evidence that: age greater than or equal to thirty five, living in rural areas, not attending antenatal care, history of abortion, Mid Upper Arm Circumference less than twenty three, not consuming additional food during pregnancy and living in a rental house were determinants of preterm birth.