Maternal risk factors for preterm delivery in Ghaem Hospital of Mashhad; 2011-2020

Prematurity is the most common risk factor for neonatal mortality, and various maternal risk factors have been identified for prematurity. Therefore, this study was conducted with aim to investigate the maternal risk factors for preterm delivery.

In this cross-sectional study from 2011 to 2020, the status of 981 mothers of premature infants who were admitted to the neonatal ward in Ghaem Hospital of Mashhad was examined. The information related to the study was designed through a researcher-made checklist in two sections. The first part included personal information about the mother (gestational age, maternal age, type of delivery, parity, maternal midwifery problems, underlying diseases, pregnancy complications, placental and membranes problems), the second part included information about the infant (age, first and fifth minutes Apgar score). Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22) and T-Test and Chi-square tests.

In the present study, 187 mothers (19.6%) had normal pregnancy status and 765 mothers (80.4%) had pregnancy problems. The most common maternal problems in the history was abortion (67 cases, 6.82%), placenta and umbilical cord was premature rupture of membranes (89 cases, 9.07%), complication of pregnancy was preeclampsia (256 cases, 26.09) and the underlying disease was hypertension (173 cases, 17.63%).

The results of this study showed that the most common problems for mothers of premature infants were maternal underlying diseases including complications of pregnancy, poor history of midwifery and placental and membranes problems. Therefore, one of the most important ways to control premature birth and its various problems is prevention, control, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of problems and diseases of the mother before and during pregnancy and childbirth.