A clinical epidemiology study of spontaneous preterm birth in Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) in Jazan, Saudi Arabia, and identify related risk factors.


METHODS
A case-controlled study was carried out at King Fahd Central Hospital in Jazan consisting of 420 Saudi married pregnant women who were referred with a diagnosis of spontaneous (not induced) preterm birth with or without a preceding preterm premature rupture of membranes and 420 randomly matched controls who were admitted with a diagnosis of full-term birth over a 1-year period. Data were collected by structured interviews with women and review of their medical records using a risk factor checklist.


RESULTS
The prevalence of SPTB in Jazan is high (8.24%) compared to that in other cities in Saudi Arabia and other developing countries. Multiple logistic regression analyses identified 22 significant risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a high prevalence of SPTB in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. The risk factor checklist created in this study could be used by health care providers to reduce the rate of SPTB by early identification of women at risk who require further management. This may create a corresponding fall in subsequent neonatal complications and health care expenditure.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdul-Aziz University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Remah.Kamel.07@bristol.ac.uk
Remah M
RM
Kamel
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult