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Risk factors for preterm birth: a New Zealand study
S P Wright1, E A Mitchell, J M Thompson
1Department of Paediatrics, University of Auckland.
Aim:
To identify risk factors for preterm birth.
Methods:
A cross sectional study. The study population was 1800 infants selected randomly from all babies born over a three-year period. Of these, 85 (4.8%) were classified preterm (less than 37 completed weeks gestation). Data were collected from obstetric records and parental interviews.
Results:
Risk factors associated with an increased risk of preterm birth after controlling for potential confounders included smoking during pregnancy (adjusted relative risk (RR) = 2.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3, 5.4), and multiple birth (adjusted RR = 48.8, 95% CI = 18.1, 131.4). Urinary tract infection was significant at the 7% level (adjusted RR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.0, 5.6). Alcohol intake in third trimester was associated with a reduced risk of preterm birth (adjusted RR = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.2, 0.7).
Conclusion:
Maternal smoking and multiple births were the most important modifiable risk factors in this study for preterm birth and may contribute to 17% and 11% of preterm births respectively.