A Comparative Study on Prevalence of Preterm Birth and Low Birth Weight in Iranians and Afghans Races in Rafsanjan Nik-Nafs Hospital in 2011-2012

Preterm birth and low birth weight are considered as causes of morbidity and mortality، developmental disorders and child abnormalities. Since health outcomes differ on ethno-racial groups and there is little information among hand with regards to the said matter in Iran، this study was designed to survey the preterm and low birth weight prevalence on Iranian and Afghan nationalities. This cross-sectional study was carried out on 5925 Iranian and Afghan live births which delivered in Rafsanjan Nik-Nafs hospital on 2011-2012. Data was collected via use of delivery records of hospital medical documentary unit. The criterion for preterm birth was gestational age less than 37 weeks، and for low birth weight was birth weight less than 2500 grams. For data analysis، independent two-sample t-test، chi-square and Fisher''s exact tests were used. overal، 5532 infants (93. 4%) were Iranian and 393 infant (6. 6%) were Afghan. Preterm birth prevalence was 7. 5% (447 cases)، so that 7. 1% (391 cases) and 14. 5% (56 cases) were Iranian and Afghan respectively (p<0. 001). In the present study، low birth weight prevalence was 7% (416 cases) out of which 6. 7% (367 cases) were Iranian and 12. 7% (49 cases) were Afghan (p<0. 001). Since high prevalence of preterm birth and low birth weight were seen among the Afghan refugees، it appears that race and different factors such as: lack of proper insurance، availablity of health services and a lower socio-economic status are in linked with this increase.