Abstract:
Preterm birth is one of the global health concernsworldwide;about 15 million
preterm babies delivered every year. Although the preterm birth rate appears to have increased
over time in many developing and developed countries including Ethiopia,however the factors
assumed to have association with preterm birth are not clearly known. Therefore, to reduce
preterm birth the risk factors should be identified, and well addressed, especially in eastern
Ethiopia.
Objective:To assess determinants of preterm birth among women who gave birth inpublic
hospitals in HarariRegionand Dire-Dawa administration, eastern, Ethiopiafrom July 1 to
August 31, 2021.
Methods:A Facility-based unmatched case-control study was conducted on316(106 preterm
and 210 term) births in publichospitals in Harar and Dire-Dawa.A pre-tested, structured
questionnaire was used to collectdatathrough interviews of the mother complemented with a
review of medical records and measurements. Data were coded and entered into Epi-data 3.1and analyzed using SPSS 25. Bivariateand multivariable logisticregressions were computed
to identify independent determinants of preterm births. Association was described using an
adjusted odds ratio along with their 95% confidence interval. Significance was declared at
p<0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression.
Results:Pretermbirthwas found to be more likelyamong babies born from womenolder than
age=35 years old [AOR=4.15; 95% CI (1.63,10.63)],women with anemia [AOR=2.7; 95% CI
(1.24, 6.36)], women with premature rupture ofmembrane [AOR=2.97, 95% CI (1.03, 8.14)],
women with pregnancy induced hypertension[AOR=4.23; 95 % CI (2.15, 8.23)], and women
faced intimate partner violence[AOR=4.3; 95% CI (2.05, 9.05)].
Conclusion:Age,anemia in the index pregnancy, premature rupture of membrane,
pregnancy-induced hypertension, andintimate partner violence were found to be determinants
of preterm births. Improving the burden of preterm birth requires addressing modifiable
factors like; anemia, intimate partner violence.
