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Investigating the Prevalence of Preterm Birth in Iranian Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Nasibeh Sharifi1, Somayyeh Khazaeian2, Reza Pakzad3
1Departmant of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Ilam Univesity of Medical Science, Ilam, Iran.
Insights
Preterm delivery affects 10% of births in Iran, varying by region. This systematic review highlights the need for interventions like improved pregnancy care to reduce complications from preterm birth.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Preterm delivery is a significant global health issue.
- Despite medical progress, preterm birth rates remain high worldwide.
- Understanding regional prevalence in Iran is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis.
- To determine the overall prevalence of preterm delivery in Iran.
- To identify geographical variations in preterm birth rates within Iran.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of 19 studies.
- Searched multiple databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, etc.) for articles from 2000-2016.
- Utilized random-effects model for data synthesis and STATA software for analysis.
Main Results:
- The overall prevalence of preterm delivery in Iran was estimated at 10% (95% CI, 9-12%).
- Prevalence varied significantly across regions, with the lowest at 5.4% (Bam) and highest at 19.85% (Tehran).
- No significant association found between preterm delivery prevalence and study year or sample size.
Conclusions:
- Preterm delivery is a considerable public health concern in Iran.
- Regional disparities in prevalence necessitate localized intervention strategies.
- Enhanced prenatal care, life skills training, and self-care programs are recommended to mitigate adverse outcomes.
Abstract:
Despite medical advances, preterm delivery remains a global problem in developed and developing countries. The present study was aimed at conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on the prevalence of preterm delivery in Iran. This study was carried out on studies conducted in Iran by searching databases of SID, Magiran, Irandoc, MEDLIB, Iranmedex, PubMed, Web of science, Google Scholar and Scopus. The search was conducted using advanced search and keywords of preterm delivery and equivalents of it in Mesh and their Farsi's Synonymous in all articles from 2000-2016.After extracting the data, the data were combined using a random model. Heterogeneity of the studies was assessed using Q test I2 index and the data were analyzed using STATA Ver.11 software. The total number of samples in this study was 41773. In 19 reviewed articles, the overall prevalence of preterm delivery, based on the random effects model, was estimated to be a total of 10% (95% CI, 9-12). The lowest prevalence of preterm labor was 5.4% in Bam and the highest prevalence was 19.85% in Tehran. There was no significant difference between the prevalence of preterm delivery compared to year of study and sample size. This study reviewed the findings of previous studies and showed that preterm delivery is a relatively prevalent problem in Iran. Therefore, adopting appropriate interventions in many cases including life skills training, self-care and increasing pregnancy care to reduce these consequences and their following complications in high risk patients seem necessary.
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