Nutritional-Related Predictors of Preterm Birth in North Shewa Hospitals, Central Ethiopia: A Case-Control Study
1Department of Public Health, Salale University College of Health Sciences, Fitche, Ethiopia.
Insights
Nutritional factors like iron-folic acid, additional meals, and dark green leafy vegetables are key predictors of preterm birth in Ethiopian women. Addressing food taboos and improving maternal mid-upper arm circumference are crucial for prevention.
Area of Science:
- Maternal and Child Health
- Nutritional Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Preterm birth (PTB) is a leading cause of neonatal mortality globally, with 15 million cases annually.
- Limited data exists on nutritional predictors of PTB among Ethiopian women.
- This study addresses this gap by investigating nutritional factors in North Shewa public hospitals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify nutritional-related predictors of preterm birth.
- To provide evidence for targeted interventions in central Ethiopia.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted in North Shewa zone public hospitals.
- Interviewer-administered questionnaires gathered data, analyzed using logistic regression models in SPSS.
- Statistical significance was determined using adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 95% confidence interval (CI), and p-value <0.05.
Main Results:
- Key predictors of PTB included inability to access iron-folic acid (IFA) (AOR=2.26), restricted food intake (AOR=2.85), low consumption of dark green leafy vegetables (DGLV) (AOR=4.46), and maternal mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) <23 cm (AOR=3.7).
- Not eating additional meals during pregnancy was also significantly associated with PTB (AOR=2.63).
Conclusions:
- IFA supplementation, adequate dietary intake (additional meals, DGLV), and addressing food taboos are critical for PTB prevention.
- Maternal MUAC is a significant nutritional predictor of preterm birth.
- Culturally sensitive nutrition education is recommended to improve dietary practices and reduce PTB rates.
Background:
Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of newborn death and the second cause of mortality among under-five children. Globally, about 15 million infants are born preterm every year. However, there is a lack of data on the nutritional-related predictors of preterm birth among Ethiopian women. The objective of the study was to identify nutritional-related predictors of preterm birth among women who gave birth at North Shewa public Hospitals in central Ethiopia.
Methods:
A case-control study was undertaken in public hospitals in the North Shewa zone, central Ethiopia. Interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to gather data, which was then entered into EPI INFO version 7 and then exported to SPSS version 23 for analysis. Data were presented using texts, tables, and proportions. To find predictors of preterm birth, researcher used binary and multiple logistic regression models. The presence of a relationship between PTB and predictor factors was determined using the adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 95% confidence interval (CI), and p-value <0.05.
Results:
A total of 161 cases and 322 controls participated in the study making a response rate of 97.6%. Unable to get iron folic acid (IFA) (AOR=2.26, 95% CI: 1.22, 4.18), not eating additional meals (AOR=2.63, 95% CI: 1.1, 4.62), restriction of foods (AOR=2.85, 95% CI: 1.58, 5.12), not taking dark green leafy vegetables (DGLV), (AOR=4.46, 95% CI: 1.72, 11.61), and mid upper arm circumference of mother (MUAC) <23 centimeters (AOR=3.7, 95% CI: 2.25, 6.11) had statistically significant association with premature birth.
Conclusion:
IFA supplementation, additional meals, food taboo, frequency of DGLV, and MUAC were identified predictors of preterm birth. Encouraging such women to eat additional meals, varieties of diets like vegetables, and fruits during pregnancy, and adhering to culturally appropriate nutrition education to reverse food taboo is compulsory.
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