A Research Study On Premature Delivery - 3472 Words

Abstract Premature delivery is a significant cause of child mortality and morbidity worldwide. It is particularly prevalent in the developing world. As HIV is highly prevalent in Tanzania and much of sub-Saharan Africa, it is important to determine risk factors for prematurity among HIV-positive pregnancies. The aims of this study were to identify risk factors of live preterm (37 completed weeks gestation) and very preterm (34 completed weeks gestation) birth among a cohort of 927 HIV positive women living in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, who enrolled in the Tanzania Vitamin and HIV Infection Trial between 1995 and 1997. Multivariable relative risk regression models were used to determine the association of potential maternal risk factors†¦show more content†¦Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal mortality.1 It is estimated that preterm birth is the direct cause of 29% of deaths in children under 28 days and 11% of deaths in children under 5 years.1–3 Prematurity disproportionately affects newborns in resource-constrained countries, where it is both more common and more often leads to adverse health outcomes. A systematic review from 2010 reports that 7.5% and 11.9% of births in developed countries and in Africa, respectively, were preterm.4 In Tanzania, 11%5 of births are premature and prematurity is the second leading cause of neonatal death.6 In a study of hospitalized neonates in Tanzania, the neonatal mortality rate for preterm infants was twice that as for full-term infants, 26% versus 13%.7 Expending extra resources on pregnant women with risk factors for prematurity could reduce the prevalence of prematurity. Not only would this have immediate benefits, such as reducing neonatal mortality, but also it could reduce the risk of chronic disease due to preterm delivery throughout the life course.8,9 This could substantially lower long term health expenditures. The prevalence of HIV infection among Tanzanian women is estimated to be 6.6%.10 Given the significant proportion of pregnant women who are HIV-infected in some regions of the world, it is important to determine