Investigation on some maternal factors affecting the birth of preterm infants: a case - control study

Background: Infant mortality is considered as the key healthcare index in every country. The outcomes of a preterm birth are among the main and direct causes of neonate mortality. Therefore, the present research aims to investigate some maternal factors influencing the immature birth. Materials and Methods: This observational case study was conducted on 100 term babies as the control group. The questionnaires were completed through interviewed mothers or perused hospital files. Results: The results of this study showed the high chances of premature birth in women with multiple pregnancies, smoking, placenta previa, uterine problems and placental abruption compared to most of the mothers with no history of such problems. In mothers with cervical incompetence, the chances of delivering a preterm baby are 11 times as high as mothers with no such problems. Similarly, the chances are 9.33 times as high among the mothers who had a history of placenta previa. Conclusion: Identifying maternal factors influencing the preterm infant birth as well as attentive care taken during pregnancy can significantly reduce the preterm infant birth