[Social-occupational risk factors for fetal growth retardation and preterm birth. II. An analysis of the independent effect of variables under study].

In the study covering 551 female inhabitants of Lodz, a model for clinical and control examinations was used in order to identify risk factors (estimated by means of odds ratio) for fetus hypotrophia and preterm birth. Logistic regression was employed to determine independent variables and those contributing directly to the occurrence of both pathologies. The following risk factors for preterm birth and fetus hypotrophia were identified: smoking during pregnancy, bleeding in more than one trimester of pregnancy and low weight gain by mothers during pregnancy. Late reporting to a doctor, uterus cervical insufficiency, recent loss of the job, excessive responsibility for the management of household affairs and premature baby or a baby with low birth weight as an outcome of the previous pregnancy were proved to be specific risk factors responsible for preterm birth, while marital status, namely single young mothers, and short stature of mothers were responsible for fetus hypotrophia. The results obtained did not provide the basis for drawing a conclusion that work during pregnancy exerted an adverse effects and contributed to the magnitude of the analysed obstetric pathologies. Nevertheless, risk factors identified should be taken into account in the planning of mother and child care. The authors stress the need for taking further steps to eliminate, wherever possible, the aforesaid risk factors.