Preterm birth and its associated factors among reproductive aged women in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from the recent demographic and health surveys of sub-Sharan African countries

Genetic association study of preterm birth and gestational age in a population-based case-control study in Peru

BACKGROUND

Preterm birth (PTB) affects ∼15 million pregnancies worldwide. Genetic studies have identified several candidate loci for PTB, but results remain inconclusive and limited to European populations. Thus, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of PTB and gestational age at delivery (GA) among 2,212 Peruvian women.

METHODS

PTB cases delivered≥20 weeks' but < 37 weeks' gestation, while controls delivered at term (≥37 weeks but <42 weeks). Multivariable regressions were used to identify genetic markers for PTB and GA (∼6 million SNPs), adjusting for maternal age and the first two genetic principal components. In silico functional analysis was conducted among top signals detected with an arbitrary P < 1.0×10-5 . We sought to replicate genetic markers for PTB and GA identified in Europeans, and we developed a genetic risk score for GA based on European markers.

RESULTS

Mean GA was 30 ± 4 weeks in PTB cases (N = 933) and 39 ± 1 in the controls (N = 1,279). No associatiosn were identified at genome-wide level. Nominal PTB variants were enriched for biological pathways associated with polyketide, progesterone, steroid hormones, and glycosyl metabolism. Nominal GA variants were enriched in intronic regions and cancer pathways. Variants in WNT4 associated with GA in Europeans were replicated in our study. A genetic risk score was associated with a 2-day longer GA (P = 0.002) in our sample.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified various signals suggestively associated with PTB and GA in pregnant Peruvian women. None of these variants overlapped with signals previously identified in Europeans.

Association between late pregnancy prehypertension and adverse outcomes among newborns of women delivered at a tertiary hospital in Eastern Uganda: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Prehypertension during pregnancy is currently not considered as a high-risk pregnancy state in existing guidelines despite recent research correlating it with higher rates of morbidity and mortality in both the mother and the fetus. Studies on prehypertension have not been conducted in Africa despite high rates of poor neonatal outcomes.

AIMS

The study aimed to determine the association between late pregnancy prehypertension and adverse outcomes in newborns of women with late pregnancy prehypertension at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Between September 2022 and January 2023, a hospital-based prospective cohort study including 300 pregnant women was conducted. Participants were divided according to third-trimester blood pressure, as determined by the JNC-8 criteria. Following hospital admission for labor and delivery, 150 normotensive women and 150 prehypertensive women were identified and followed until delivery, and their neonates were followed until death or hospital discharge. A p value of ≤ 0.05 was the threshold for statistical significance when comparing the groups using the relative risk, X2, and Mantel-Haenszel adjustment.

RESULTS

Composite adverse neonatal outcomes were more common in prehypertensive women compared to normotensive women (48.67% versus 32.67%), particularly Small-for-Gestation Age (SGA), stillbirth, and composite adverse neonatal outcomes had significantly higher likelihood, with aRRs of 1.63 (95% CI 1.10-2.42, p = 0.037), 9.0 (95% CI 1.15-70.16, p = 0.010), and 1.55 (95% CI 1.16-2.08, p < 0.001), respectively. By a linear model, birthweight decreased by 45.1 g for every 10 mmHg rise in systolic blood pressure (p = 0.041, Pearson correlation of -0.118).

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Prehypertension in late pregnancy increased risks for adverse neonatal outcomes, thus a need to potentially lower pregnancy hypertension cut-off levels possibly through adopting the ACC/AHA blood pressure definitions for pregnant women.

Predicting adverse birth outcome among childbearing women in Sub-Saharan Africa: employing innovative machine learning techniques

BACKGROUND

Adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth, remain a major global health challenge, particularly in developing regions. Understanding the possible risk factors is crucial for designing effective interventions for birth outcomes. Accordingly, this study aimed to develop a predictive model for adverse birth outcomes among childbearing women in Sub-Saharan Africa using advanced machine learning techniques. Additionally, this study aimed to employ a novel data science interpretability techniques to identify the key risk factors and quantify the impact of each feature on the model prediction.

METHODS

The study population involved women of childbearing age from 26 Sub-Saharan African countries who had given birth within five years before the data collection, totaling 139,659 participants. Our data source was a recent Demographic Health Survey (DHS). We utilized various data balancing techniques. Ten advanced machine learning algorithms were employed, with the dataset split into 80% training and 20% testing sets. Model evaluation was conducted using various performance metrics, along with hyperparameter optimization. Association rule mining and SHAP analysis were employed to enhance model interpretability.

RESULTS

Based on our findings, about 28.59% (95% CI: 28.36, 28.83) of childbearing women in Sub-Saharan Africa experienced adverse birth outcomes. After repeated experimentation and evaluation, the random forest model emerged as the top-performing machine learning algorithm, with an AUC of 0.95 and an accuracy of 88.0%. The key risk factors identified were home deliveries, lack of prenatal iron supplementation, fewer than four antenatal care (ANC) visits, short and long delivery intervals, unwanted pregnancy, primiparous mothers, and geographic location in the West African region.

CONCLUSION

The region continues to face persistent adverse birth outcomes, emphasizing the urgent need for increased attention and action. Encouragingly, advanced machine learning methods, particularly the random forest algorithm, have uncovered crucial insights that can guide targeted actions. Specifically, the analysis identifies risky groups, including first-time mothers, women with short or long birth intervals, and those with unwanted pregnancies. To address the needs of these high-risk women, the researchers recommend immediately providing iron supplements, scheduling comprehensive prenatal care, and strongly encouraging facility-based deliveries or skilled birth attendance.

Preterm birth in low-middle income Countries

Preterm birth (PTB), remains a major cause of significant morbidity and mortality world-wide with about 12-15million preterm births occurring every year. Although the overall trend is decreasing, this is mainly in high-income countries (HIC). The rate remains high in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC) varying on average between 10 and 12% compared to 9% in HIC. The pathogenesis of PTB is complex and multifactorial. Attempts to reduce rates that have focused on PTB as a single condition have in general been unsuccessful. However, more recent attempts to phenotype PTB have resulted in targeted preventative approaches which are yielding better results. Prevention (primary or secondary) is the only approach that has been shown to make a difference to rates of PTB. These include identifying risk factors pre-pregnancy and during pregnancy and instituting appropriate measures to address these. In LMIC, although some approaches that have been shown to be effective in some HIC are adaptable, there is a need to involve stakeholders at all levels in utilizing evidence preferrably generated in LMIC to implement strategies that are likely to reduce the rate of PTB. In this review, we focus on prevention and how to involve policy makers in the process of applying evidence into policy that would reduce PTB in LMIC.

Determinants of prelabor rupture of membrane among pregnant women attending governmental hospitals in Jimma zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia: A multi-center case-control study

BACKGROUND

Prelabor rupture of membrane defined as the rupture of fetal membranes before the beginning of uterine contractions, is a common complication of pregnancy and the leading cause of preterm birth. In Ethiopia, the prevalence of prelabor rupture of membrane varied significantly between settings due to variations in risk factors. Besides, there was no study conducted using primary data, particularly in the Jimma zone, Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to identify determinants of prelabor rupture of membrane among pregnant women attending governmental hospitals in the Jimma zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia.

METHODS

An institutional-based unmatched case-control study design was conducted from October 15 to December 15, 2021, at four governmental hospitals. A consecutive sampling technique was used to select 316 participants (79 cases and 237 controls). Women with prelabor rupture of the membrane were confirmed by history, sterile vaginal examination, and ultrasound as cases, and their counterparts as controls. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on maternal (obstetric, medical, behavioral) and fetal-related characteristics. The data were entered into Epi Data version 4.6 and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics, bi-variable, and multivariable logistic regression were computed. The odds ratio with a 95% confidence level was used, and the significance level was declared at a p-value < 0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 316 participants (79 cases and 237 controls) were included in this study. Pregnancy-induced hypertension (AOR = 3.06, 95% CI: 1.41-6.64), history of abortion (AOR = 3.67, 95% CI: 1.56-8.65), urinary tract infections (AOR = 2.61, 95% CI: 1.13-6.06), abnormal vaginal discharge (AOR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.21-5.79), maternal khat chewing (AOR = 3.40, 95% CI: 1.70-6.80), mid-upper arm circumference less than 23 cm (AOR = 2.80, 95% CI: 1.51-5.19), and fetal presentation (breech) (AOR = 2.63, 95% CI: 1.10-6.28) were determinants of prelabor rupture of membrane among pregnant women.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that the aforementioned factors were found to be determinants of prelabor rupture of membrane among pregnant women. Therefore, hospitals should give focus to the early screening, diagnosis, and treatment of pregnancy-induced hypertension, urinary tract infection, and abnormal vaginal discharge to reduce the burden of prelabor rupture of membranes.

Genetic association study of Preterm birth and Gestational age in a population-based case-control study in Peru: Genetics of PTB and GA in pregnant women in Peru

Preterm birth (PTB) is an adverse pregnancy outcome affecting ~15 million pregnancies worldwide. Genetic studies have identified several candidate loci for PTB, but results remain inconclusive and limited to European populations. Thus, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of PTB and gestational age at delivery (GA) among 2,212 Peruvian women. PTB cases delivered ≥ 20 weeks' but < 37 weeks' gestation, while controls delivered at term (≥ 37 weeks but < 42 weeks). After imputation (TOPMED) and quality control, we assessed the association of ~6 million SNPs with PTB and GA using multivariable regression models adjusted for maternal age and the first two genetic principal components. In silico functional analysis (FUMA-GWAS) was conducted among top signals detected with an arbitrary P < 1.0×10-5 in each GWAS. We sought to replicate genetic associations with PTB and GA identified in Europeans, and we developed a genetic risk score for GA based on European markers. Mean GA was 30 ± 4 weeks in PTB cases (N=933) and 39 ± 1 in the controls (N=1,279). PTB cases were slightly older and had higher C-sections and vaginal bleeding than controls. No association was identified at genome-wide level. Top suggestive (P < 1.0×10-5) signals were seen at rs13151645 (LINC01182) for PTB, and at rs72824565 (CTNNA2) for GA. Top PTB variants were enriched for biological pathways associated with polyketide, progesterone, steroid hormones, and glycosyl metabolism. Top GA variants were enriched in intronic regions and cancer pathways, and these genes were upregulated in the brain and subcutaneous adipose tissue. In combination with non-genetic risk factors, top SNPs explained 14% and 15% of the phenotypic variance of PTB and GA in our sample, but these results need to be interpreted with caution. Variants in WNT4 associated with GA in Europeans were replicated in our study. The genetic risk score based in European markers, was associated with a 2-day longer GA (R2=0.003, P=0.002) per standard deviation increase in the score in our sample. This genetic association study identified various signals suggestively associated with PTB and GA in a non-European population; they were linked to relevant biological pathways related to the metabolism of progesterone, prostanoid, and steroid hormones, and genes associated with GA were significantly upregulated in relevant tissues for the pathophysiology of PTB based on the in-silico functional analysis. None of these top variants overlapped with signals previously identified for PTB or GA in Europeans.

Is intimate partner violence and obstetrics characteristics of pregnant women associated with preterm birth in Ethiopia? Umbrella review on preterm birth

BACKGROUND

Preterm birth is a significant contributor to newborns morbidity and mortality. Despite the availability of highly effective and powerful interventions, the burden of preterm birth has not decreased. Given the relevance of the topic to clinical decision-making, strong conclusive and supporting evidence emanating from the umbrella review is required. To this end, this umbrella review study sought to determine the association between intimate partner violence and obstetrics characteristics of women with preterm birth in Ethiopia.

METHODS

Six systematic review and meta-analysis studies searched across multiple databases were included in this umbrella review. The quality of the included systematic review and meta-analysis studies was evaluated using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR-2) checklist. STATA version 18 was used for the statistical analysis. A random-effects model was used to calculate the overall effect measurement.

RESULTS

A total of 114 observational studies in the six systematic review and meta-analysis studies involving 75,624 pregnant women were included in this comprehensive analysis. The preterm birth rate among mothers in Ethiopia was 11% (95% CI 10-13%; I2 = 98.08). Preterm birth was significantly associated with intimate partner violence (POR: 2.32; 95% CI 1.74-2.90), multiple pregnancies (POR: 3.36; 95% CI 2.41-4.32), pregnancy-induced hypertension (POR: 4.13; 95% CI 3.17-5.10), anemia (POR: 2.76; 95% CI 1.97-3.56), and premature rupture of pregnancy (POR: 5.1; 95% CI 3.45-6.75).

CONCLUSIONS

More than one out of ten pregnant women experienced preterm birth in Ethiopia. Intimate partner violence is significantly associated with preterm birth. Furthermore, multiple pregnancies, pregnancy-induced hypertension, anemia, and premature rupture of the membrane were significant predictors of preterm birth. Therefore, policymakers should consider further instigations and implementations of policies and strategies closely related to reductions of intimate partner violence. It is also crucial to the early identification and treatment of high-risk pregnancies.

Antenatal depression and adverse birth outcomes among pregnant women living with HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

BACKGROUND

Women who experience antenatal depression may be at increased risk of adverse birth outcomes. Few studies have examined this association among women living with HIV (WHIV).

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study of 2298 pregnant WHIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, who were participants in a randomized trial of vitamin D3 supplementation. Depressive symptoms were assessed at 12-27 weeks gestation using the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25). Generalized estimating equations to account for twins were used to assess the relative risks of adverse birth outcomes.

RESULTS

Approximately 67 % of the women in our study population reported symptoms consistent with depression. We observed a 4.0 % prevalence of stillbirth and a 25.1 % prevalence of preterm birth. We found that low social support, higher education, and more recent initiation of ART were associated with a greater risk of antenatal depression. There was no association of antenatal depression with risk of fetal loss, stillbirth, low birth weight, birth weight, preterm birth, gestational age at delivery, or small-for-gestational age.

LIMITATIONS

Depression was self-reported and only collected at one timepoint in pregnancy. Our findings may not be generalizable to all WHIV.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings illustrate the high risk of both depression and adverse birth outcomes among WHIV and underscore the need for interventions to improve their mental health and the health of their infants; however, the relationship between depression and birth outcomes remains unclear. Further research on this topic is merited, particularly examining the chronicity and timing of depression in pregnancy.

Maternal, obstetric and gynecological factors associated with preterm birth in Rwanda: findings from a national longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Preterm birth is one of the key causes of morbidity and mortality among neonates in low-income countries. In Rwanda, at least 35,000 babies are born prematurely each year, and 2600 children under the age of five die due to direct complications of prematurity each year. A limited number of studies have been conducted locally, many of which are not nationally representative. Thus, this study determined the prevalence as well as the maternal, obstetric, and gynecological factors associated with preterm birth in Rwanda at the national level.

METHODS

A longitudinal cohort study was conducted from July 2020 to July 2021 among first-trimester pregnant women. A total of 817 women from 30 health facilities in 10 districts were included in the analysis. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data. In addition, medical records were reviewed to extract relevant data. Ultrasound examination was used to assess and confirm gestational age on recruitment. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the independent maternal, obstetric, and gynecological factors associated with preterm birth.

RESULTS

The prevalence of preterm births was 13.8%. Older maternal age- 35 to 49 years [Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.00; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.13-3.53)], secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy (AOR = 1.91; 95% CI = 1.04-3.51), a history of abortion (AOR = 1.89; 95% CI = 1.13-3.15), premature membrane rupture (AOR = 9.30; 95% CI = 3.18-27.16), and hypertension during pregnancy (AOR = 4.40; 95% CI = 1.18-16.42) were identified as independent risk factors for preterm birth.

CONCLUSION

Preterm birth remains a significant public health issue in Rwanda. The associated risk factors for preterm birth were advanced maternal age, secondhand smoke, hypertension, history of abortion, and preterm membrane rupture. This study therefore recommends routine antenatal screening to identify and closely follow-up of those high-risk groups, in order to avoid the short- and long-term effects of preterm birth.

Prevalence of preterm birth and associated factors among mothers who gave birth in public hospitals of east Gojjam zone, Ethiopia

BACKGROUNDS

Preterm birth is defined as babies born alive before 37 weeks of pregnancy or fewer than 259 days since the first day of a woman's last menstrual period. Globally, 14.84 million babies were preterm births. Preterm infants are at risk for specific diseases related to the immaturity of various organ systems. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of preterm birth and associated factors among mothers who gave birth in public hospitals of east Gojjam zone, Ethiopia.

METHODS

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 1 up to June 30, 2021, in public hospitals in the east Gojjam zone. Systematic random sampling was used. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, patient interviews and patient card reviews. We used binary logistic regression analysis with 95% CI and P-value < 0.05 to identify the significant factors with preterm birth.

RESULTS

Out of 615 mothers, 13.2% gave a preterm birth. Antenatal care (AOR = 2.87; 95% CI = (1.67, 5.09)), educational status of mother (AOR = 2.79; 95% CI = (1.27, 6.67)), husband educational status(AOR = 2.11; 95% CI = (1.10, 4.18)), Average monthly family income(AOR = 1.95; 95% CI = (1.05, 3.75)),family size(AOR = 0.15; 95% CI = (0.03, 0.67)), multifetal gestation (AOR = 3.30; 95% CI = (1.29, 8.69), having Premature Rupture Of Membrane (AOR = 6.46; 95% CI= (2.52, 18.24)), history of chronic illness (AOR = 3.94; 95% CI = (1.67, 9.45)), being HIV positive(AOR = 6.99; 95% CI= (1.13, 44.65)), Ante-Partum Hemorrhage (AOR = 3.62; 95% CI= (1.12, 12.59)), pregnancy Induced Hypertension (AOR = 3.61; 95% CI= (1.19, 11.84)), mode of delivery (AOR = 7.16; 95% CI = (2.09, 29.29)), and onset of labor (AOR = 0.10; 95% CI = (0.03, 0.29)) were found to be significantly associated with preterm birth.

CONCLUSIONS

antenatal care, educational status of the mother, husband's educational status, family income, family size, multifetal gestation, Premature Rupture of the membrane, history of chronic illness, being HIV positive, Ante-Partum Hemorrhage, pregnancy Induced Hypertension, mode of delivery, and the onset of labor were found to be significantly associated with preterm birth. To minimize the proportion of preterm birth focusing on this important variables, timely identification of obstetric complications, strengthening early screening of HIV and high-risk pregnancies like multiple gestations, PIH and APH were important.

Clinical outcome and associated factors of respiratory distress syndrome among preterm neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Adama Hospital and Medical College

Objective

Aim of the study was to assess the clinical outcome and associated factors of respiratory distress syndrome among preterm neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Adama Hospital and Medical College.

Methods

Hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted using 242 randomly selected medical records of preterm neonates admitted to Adama comprehensive specialized hospital. Clinical outcome was categorized as poor if the neonate died or left against advice and good if discharged after improvement. Data were coded, entered into Epidata v.7.4.2 and exported to SPSS v.27 for analysis. After initial bi-variable logistic regression analysis, predictor variables with p-value of <0.2 were included in multivariable analysis. Significant association of factors with clinical outcome was claimed at p-value <0.05 and calculated 95% adjusted odds ratio.

Results

Majority of admissions were male (63.2%), mean birth weight of 1440.3 g (+321.2 SD) and sepsis (82%), hypothermia (73%), and apnea (21.5%) were leading comorbidities. One hundred fifty-two (62.8%) of preterm neonates had poor outcomes. Neonates born singleton were 47% less likely to develop poor clinical outcomes (adjusted odds ratio 0.53 (0.48-0.94). The odds of poor clinical outcomes were higher during the first 3 days of admission (adjusted odds ratio 3.83 (3.28-14.77). Extremely preterm neonates (adjusted odds ratio 4.16 (4.01-12.97), extremely low birth weight preterm neonates had higher odds of poor clinical outcome.

Conclusion

The study found higher poor clinical outcome among preterm neonates admitted with respiratory distress syndrome. Poor outcome was higher in lower gestational age, lower birth weight, twins and majority of it happened during 3 days of their life. Effective preventive care and initiation of low-cost, life-saving interventions including heated humidified high-flow nasal cannula and surfactant administration could significantly improve the clinical outcome of the neonates.

Prevalence and associated risk factors of preterm birth among neonates in referral hospitals of Amhara Region, Ethiopia

INTRODUCTION

Preterm birth (PTB) is the largest direct cause of neonatal mortality and the second leading cause of under-five mortality following pneumonia. Although there are studies conducted before, the magnitude of PTB remains a major issue in most developing countries including Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aims to assess the prevalence and associated factors of premature birth among newborns delivered in Amhara Region Referral Hospitals, Northern Ethiopia.

METHODS

A hospital-based cross-sectional study was undertaken from February to April 2020. A systematic sampling technique was used to select 482 mother-newborn pairs. The data were collected by interviewing the mothers and reviewing their charts using a structured and pretested questionnaire. The outcome variable was preterm birth. Data were entered using Epi-data version 4.6 and then analyzed using STATA software (version 14). Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done to determine the risk factors associated with premature birth.

RESULTS

In this study, the prevalence of premature birth was 11.41% (95% CI: 8.9, 14.6%). In multivariable logistic regression model; maternal age < 20 years (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 7.8: 95% CI 2.3-26), preeclampsia (AOR = 5: 95% CI 2.3-11), premature rupture of membrane (AOR = 3.9: 95%CI 1.6-9.0), chronic medical illness (AOR = 4.6:95% CI2.1-10), and history of stillbirth (AOR = 2.7: 95% CI 1.1-7.3) were significantly associated with preterm birth.

CONCLUSION

The study indicates preterm birth is a major public health problem among newborns delivered in Amhara region referral hospitals. The risk factors associated with preterm birth are maternal age <20 years, preeclampsia, premature rupture of membranes, chronic medical illness, and history of stillbirth. Therefore, public health interventions have to be made to reduce the burden of prematurity through early detection and management of preeclampsia, premature rupture of membranes, and chronic medical illness. Obstetric care providers should give due attention to women with an age of <20 years and a history of stillbirth.

The spatio-temporal dynamics of infant mortality in Ecuador from 2010 to 2019

The infant mortality rate (IMR) is still a key indicator in a middle-income country such as Ecuador where a slightly increase up to 11.75 deaths per thousand life births has been observed in 2019. The purpose of this study is to propose and apply a prioritization method that combines clusters detection (Local Indicators of Spatial Association, LISA) and a monotonic statistic depicting time trend over 10 years (Mann-Kendall) at municipal level. Annual national databases (2010 to 2019) of live births and general deaths are downloaded from National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC). The results allow identifying a slight increase in the IMR at the national level from 9.85‰ in 2014 to 11.75‰ in 2019, neonatal mortality accounted for 60% of the IMR in the last year. The LISA analysis allowed observing that the high-high clusters are mainly concentrated in the central highlands. At the local level, Piñas, Cuenca, Ibarra and Babahoyo registered the highest growth trends (0.7,1). The combination of techniques made it possible to identify eight priority counties, half of them pertaining to the highlands region, two to the coastal region and two to the Amazon region. To keep infant mortality at a low level is necessary to prioritize critical areas where public allocation of funds should be concentrated and formulation of policies.