Dah Anthony Kwame, Osarfo Joseph, Mbroh Hintermann, Ampofo Gifty Dufie, Appiah-Kubi Adu, Azanu Wisdom Klutse, Amoh Michael, Morhe Emmanuel Senanu Komla
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ho Teaching Hospital, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana.
PLoS One. 2025 Aug 28;20(8):e0331223. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0331223. eCollection 2025.
Accurate measures of the burden of preterm live births are a challenge, particularly in low-and-middle income countries, due to factors including poor data quality and unreliable methods using last menstrual period (LMP) in determining gestational age of pregnancies. This study employed gestational age from first trimester ultrasound to determine incidence of preterm livebirths at Ho Teaching Hospital in Ghana, their risk factors and adverse outcomes.
This was a prospective study involving 666 pregnant women and their 680 live newborns from 1st October, 2019-31st March, 2020. Data was collected on socio-demographic characteristics such as age and for other variables including gestational age at delivery and birthweight. The primary outcome was overall preterm livebirth incidence. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine its predictors. Odds ratios were reported with 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was pegged at p-value <0.05.
The mean age of the women was 29.0 years. About 93% (616/666) had formal education. Overall preterm livebirth incidence was 9.1% (62/680). Formal employment [AOR 6.84 (95% CI 1.63-28.73), p = 0.009], informal employment [AOR 4.98 (95% CI 1.39-17.85), p = 0.014] and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) [AOR 6.43(95% CI 2.78-14.89); p < 0.001] increased the odds of preterm livebirth. Adequate antenatal clinic contacts (ANC) [AOR 0.14 (95% CI 0.05-0.37), p < 0.001] and doses of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine for malaria prevention in pregnancy (IPTp) [AOR 0.21(0.10-0.45), p < 0.001] reduced the odds of preterm livebirth by 86% and 79% respectively.
Overall preterm livebirth incidence in the study compared favourably with global estimates. HDP and being employed were important risk factors and. suggest reducing workloads of pregnant women in formal employment may be beneficial. Targeted posting of specialists to aid adequate management of HDP at district hospitals and mitigating missed opportunities for IPTp need to be considered.
准确衡量早产活产的负担是一项挑战,尤其是在低收入和中等收入国家,这是由于数据质量差以及使用末次月经日期(LMP)确定妊娠孕周的方法不可靠等因素所致。本研究采用孕早期超声确定的孕周来确定加纳霍教学医院的早产活产发生率、危险因素及不良结局。
这是一项前瞻性研究,纳入了2019年10月1日至2020年3月31日期间的666名孕妇及其680例活产新生儿。收集了社会人口学特征数据,如年龄,以及其他变量,包括分娩时的孕周和出生体重。主要结局是总体早产活产发生率。采用逻辑回归分析确定其预测因素。报告比值比及95%置信区间。统计学显著性设定为p值<0.05。
女性的平均年龄为29.0岁。约93%(616/666)接受过正规教育。总体早产活产发生率为9.