ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS OF OBSTETRIC STATUS ASSOCIATED WITH PREMATURE BIRTHS IN WOMEN IN CHILDBIRTH

Purpose: To identify and assess the prevalence of the risk factors of obstetric status associated with premature births - total and according to maternal age at pregnancy. Material and Methods: A case-control study was carried out in 2017 at the University Hospital - Pleven, including 1212 women in childbirth and 1212 live-born babies after single pregnancies. The women were divided into three age groups: under 19, 20-35 and over 35 years. The live born infants were divided into two groups. The cases included 120 preterm and low-birth-weight newborns (PLBWN). The controls included 955 full-term newborns with normal birth weight (FTNNBW). We did not include 37 full-term newborns with low birth weight (FTNLBW) and 100 preterm newborns with normal birth weight (PNNBW) in the study to control confounding effects. The role of 8 risk factors (RFs) on premature births was investigated. Results: The prevalence of most RFs was higher in women under 18 and over 35 years of age compared with aged 20-35 years. Maternal pelvic size abnormalities (OR=3.31), breech presentation (OR=7.35), placental abnormalities (OR=4.23), caesarean birth (OR=2.28) increased the risk of preterm births and low birth weight. Conclusions: There are many RFs associated with preterm births and low birth weight. These RFs need to be identified during pregnancy to reduce the prevalence of PLBWN and the health, economic and social consequences for children and their families, and for the health system and society.