Interpregnancy interval and the risk of preterm birth in Thrace, Greece.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the influence of short interpregnancy interval on the prevalence of preterm birth in two, ethically different, Greek populations.


METHODS
We studied 652 urban Christian women and 578 rural, Romany, Muslim women who had had two consecutive, singleton pregnancies. We related the prevalence of preterm birth to the interpregnancy intervals (cut-off point, 6 months). Student's t-test, x(2)-test and relative risk estimation were used.


RESULTS
Preterm birth and interpregnancy intervals less than 6 months occurred more often among Muslims than Christians. Among Muslims, an interval of <6 months was associated with greater prevalence of preterm birth (16% versus 7.3%, P=0.013, RR=2.4 and 95% C.I. 1.3-4.7). Christians did not demonstrate a similar relationship.


CONCLUSIONS
A short interpregnancy interval seems to be a risk factor for preterm birth in the population of rural, Romany, Muslim women.
Dafopoulos
Konstantinos C
KC
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, 19 Dimitras Street, Alexandroupolis 68100, Greece.
Galazios
Georgios C
GC
Tsikouras
Panagiotis N
PN
Koutlaki
Nikoleta G
NG
Liberis
Vasilios A
VA
Anastasiadis
Panagiotis G
PG
D000328:Adult; D001721:Birth Intervals; D002835:Christianity; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population