Risk factors of preterm birth among newborns delivered in public hospitals of Southern Ethiopia: A case-control study

Abstract Introduction: The rate of premature birth appears to have increased over time. Over 3.1 million babies died due to prematurity and its complications. The definite cause of preterm birth remains concealed with a wide setting variation that puts difficulty in drawing the national figure. Hence, this study scrutinized the determinants of premature delivery. Methods Unmatched case-control study was employed on 266 newborns. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire, entered into Epi data 4.4.2, and analyzed using SPSS 25. Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression. Variables with p < 0.25 in the bi-variable analysis were included in the final model. Finally, a p-value of ≤ 0.05 and an AOR with 95% CI was used to declare the statistical significance and strength of associations. Findings: An overall 266 mothers of neonates (89 cases and 177 controls) participated in the study with a 98.5% response rate. Having short inter-pregnancy interval [AOR = 4.00;95%CI:1.12,14.21], antepartum hemorrhage [AOR = 7.27;95%CI:2.16,35.50], premature rupture of membrane [AOR = 5.21;95%CI:1.10,24.72], intimate partner violence [AOR = 8.00;95%CI:1.93,33.21], and residing in rural areas [AOR = 3.72;95%CI:1.14,12.18] showed statistically significant association with preterm birth. Thereby, it is essential to strengthen screening and preventive services focusing on mothers who are at risk for obstetric complications such as antepartum hemorrhage and premature rupture of the membrane.