OBJECTIVE:

Preterm birth is a process that has social and economical consequences which increase morbidity and mortality of infant and newborn. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of spontaneous preterm birth and related factors.

METHODS:

This descriptive study was conducted in Faruk Sükan maternity and child hospital in Konya province. The universe was composed of the women who apply to hospital for delivery. The three hundred women who had vaginal delivery between February 15 and March 31, 2007 were included in study as using non-randomly sampling method. A questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were collected by a researcher with face to face interview during postpartum 24 hours in hospital. Percentage and mean distribution and student t and chi-square test were used for statistical analyses.

RESULTS:

Of women, 79.3 % were illiterate and primary school graduated. The prevalence of preterm birth in study group was 17.3 %. In study group who experiencing preterm birth, 51.9 % of the women were reported that they had premature rupture of membranes and 48.1 % had early uterine contraction. It was determined a relationship between preterm birth and age, length of marriage, number of delivery, weight of the last child, history of preterm birth of women and her mother, history of bleeding during pregnancy, having problem with husband’s family, vaginal douching during pregnancy, smoking during pregnancy, multiple pregnancy, hypertension during preganacy.

CONCLUSIONS:

Preterm birth is an important health problem for mothers and newborns. It becomes important the frequency and quality of preterm follow-up in terms of early diagnosis and early intervention of preterm birth. It seems important that health professionals should be aware of symptoms of preterm birth, making the pregnant women be aware of this symtoms to solve the problem.

Keywords: Preterm birth, prevalence, related factors