Prevalence of Preterm Birth and its Associated Factors among Mothers Delivered in Jimma University Specialized Teaching and Referral Hospital, Jimma Zone, Oromia Regional State, South West Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Being born before 37 weeks gestational age or before 259 days since the first day of a woman’s last menstrual period is defined as preterm birth according to the WHO. Being born too early is now the leading cause of death in children around the world. Preterm deliveries were responsible for 1 million out of the 6.3 million deaths of children under 5 in 2013. While the greatest burden is felt in developing countries, it is a problem everywhere. Its negative impacts stretch further when taking into account the health of mothers and the lives of the children who manage to survive. Objective: To determine the prevalence of preterm birth and its associated factor in Jimma University specialized teaching and Referral hospital south west Ethiopia, 2015. Methodology: Institution based, cross-sectional study was conduct to assess the prevalence of preterm birth and associated factors among mothers who gave births in JUSH from May 25th to June 25th, 2015. The final sample size was being 220 mothers selected by systematic sampling technique were being employed to select study participants. Data was being collected from the mothers through face to face interview using structured questionnaire. The collected data was being coded, sorted and processed using manual compilation and analysed using descriptive parameters (SPSS version 16.0) and other electronic devices. Result: The prevalence rate of preterm birth was 25.9%. Rural place of residency (OR=2.281, CI:(1.22-4.263), P=0.010), Substance intake during pregnancy (OR=0.530, CI:(0.281-0.998), P=0.049), History of abortion (OR=0.282, CI:(0.14-0.565), P≤0.001), History of the Still Birth (OR=0.213, CI:(0.103-0.441), P=<0.001), History of Preterm Labor (OR=0.206, CI:(0.108-0.393), P=<0.001), Pre-mature rupture of membrane (OR=0.255, CI: (0.134-0.483), P=<0.001), History of bleeding during pregnancy (OR=0.216, CI:(0.11-0.423), P=<0.001), UTI during pregnancy (OR=0.488, CI:(0.243-0.981), P=0.044), Hypertension during pregnancy (P=0.003), Congenital abnormality of the new born (OR=0.195, CI:(0.45-0.84), P=0.029), History of twins delivery (OR=0.239, CI: (0.085-0.677), P=0.007), History of congenital abnormality (OR=0.159, CI:(0.038-0.66), P=0.011), History of low birth weight (OR=0.085, CI:(0.04-0.18), P=<0.001), History of preterm birth including the current (OR=0.005, CI: (0.002-0.018), P=<0.001) were determined as significant risk factors for preterm birth. Conclusion and Recommendation: Identifying pregnant women at the risk of preterm delivery and proving quality healthcare, community health education and awareness campaigns may decrease the rate of preterm birth and its consequences. Not only this, further researches should be performed to find out other possible associations that could lead to preterm birth with a larger sample size.