Association of risk factors with spontaneous preterm birth after 28 weeks and neonatal outcome - A case-control study in a tertiary care referral centre

This prospective case-control study was carried out in patients admitted in Government Lady Goschen Hospital, Mangalore to study the risk factors associated with spontaneous preterm birth after 28 weeks and its neonatal outcome when compared with term birth. One hundred women who were admitted in labour of gestational age 28 to 37 weeks were included in study group and similarly 100 women of more than 37 weeks were in the control group. Height, weight and body mass index were significant risk factors associated with preterm birth. When maternal weight increases, the chance of term delivery increased 10%. Previous preterm births and spontaneous abortions increased the risk of preterm birth. Birth weight and Apgar score were significantly lower in study group. Neonatal morbidity and mortality were significantly higher in study group. Qualitative variables in frequencies were analysed using Chi-square test. Quantitative variables in mean were analysed using Student's independent 't' test. Multivariate analysis using logistic regression was done to identify the significant factor. It can be concluded that, maternal anthropometry and previous obstetric performance are the important factors. These women at risk should be identified and adequate antenatal care to these women might decrease the incidence of preterm birth. Prolongation of gestation and increase in birth weight give favourable neonatal outcome. Good neonatal intensive care unit will not only improve the outcome of preterm birth but also will decrease the socio-economic burden to the parents, society and the nation.