title: The association between level of maternal serum leptin in the third trimester and the occurrence of moderate preterm labor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to investigate the relationship between the level of maternal serum leptin and the occurrence of moderate preterm labor.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a case control study conducted on pregnant women referred to Al-Zahra Hospital in Rasht, north of Iran in 2013. Cases included 30 moderate preterm delivering women and 30 control pregnant women with the same gestational age. The maternal serum leptin was measured for each mother at the time of entering the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean serum leptin in the control group (56.66±34.18) was significantly higher than the preterm (33.65±16.70) group. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of body mass index and age. Logistic regression revealed that age and body mass index did not have a significant relationship to moderate preterm birth. However, an increased leptin level as low as 1 microgram per liter was associated with the risk of moderate preterm birth incidence (OR: 0.973, CI: 0.948-0.997).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher levels of leptin in pregnant women are associated with a decreased risk of moderate preterm birth. Further investigations are recommended with a larger sample size.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Fereshteh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fakor
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyedeh Hajar
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Sharami
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Forozan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mirblouk
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Sodabeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Epidemiology, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Davoud
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pourmarzi
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Hannan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ebrahimi
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyedeh Fatemeh Dalil
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Heirati
keywords: Preterm birth; delivery; leptin; pregnancy