Early Predictors of Preterm Labor: Single Center Retrospective Study

Abstract

Objective: To identify possible risk factors of preterm birth.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Diwaniyah Maternity Hospital, Diwaniyah province, Iraq from 1st January 2025 to 30th June 2025.

Methods: During this study, records of women with single gestation for the last five years (January 2020 to January 2025) were retrieved and analyzed. After reviewing all reports of pregnant women admitted to Maternity Teaching Hospital, twin pregnancies and cases with abortion were excluded from study. The first case for each year of the five years of the study was selected based on a random number generated by the Microsoft Excel software and then Systematic random sample was applied by selecting every other 10 cases. Only women with singleton pregnancy who gave birth after 28 weeks gestation and the age was in the range of 18 to 45 years were enrolled. At the end of the study, 428 cases of women with singleton pregnancy were enrolled.

Results: Logistic regression analysis confirmed the findings of univariate analysis in that age, body mass index, history of abortion and history of preterm are the significant predictors of preterm labor (p<0.05). An increase of one year of age is associated with 1.14 increased risk of preterm labor (p<0.001). An increase of one kg/m2 of body mass index is associated with 1.57 increased risk of preterm labor (p<0.001). History of abortion is associated with 10.53 increased risk of preterm (p=0.003) and history of preterm labor is associated with 28.82 increased risk of preterm (p=0.003).

Conclusion: Advanced maternal age >40 years, high body mass index >25 kg/m2, previous abortion and previous preterm labor are associated with increased likelihood of preterm labor.