Does short inter-pregnancy interval predicts the risk of preterm birth in Northern Ethiopia?

Abstract

Abstract Objective The study aimed to assess the effect of inter pregnancy interval on preterm birth in Northern Ethiopia: prospective cohort study. Result This study showed that, total incidence of premature birth was 10.4%. Among mothers with short inter pregnancy interval the incidence of preterm birth was 39 (25.9%).Whereas, among mothers who had recommended inter pregnancy interval was 9 (2.9%). Short inter-pregnancy interval [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR): 6.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.07–15.31], antenatal care (ANC) visit 1–3 times (AHR: 2.24, 95% CI 1.04–4.85), complication during pregnancy (AHR: 3.16, 95% CI 1.58–6.33) and birth defect (AHR: 8.01, 95% CI 2.56–25.07) were predictors of premature birth.

Keywords

• Inter pregnancy interval
• Incidence
• Preterm birth
• Cohort study
• Northern Ethiopia