Table 1 Risk factors for spontaneous preterm birth and examples of interventions
From: Conceptualizing pathways linking women’s empowerment and prematurity in developing countries
Risk factor | Examples | Interventions |
|---|---|---|
Age at pregnancy and pregnancy spacing | Adolescent pregnancy, advanced maternal age, or short interpregnancy interval | Preconception care, including encouraging family planning beginning in adolescence and continuing between pregnancies |
Nutrition | Undernutrition, obesity, micronutrient deficiencies | Improve nutritional status prior to conception and throughout pregnancy |
Maternal psychological health | Depression, violence against women | Behavioral and community interventions to prevent violence against women |
Multiple pregnancy | Increased rates of twin and higher order pregnancies with assisted reproduction | Introduction and monitoring of policies for best practice in assisted reproduction |
Infection | Urinary tract infections, malaria, HIV, syphilis, bacterial vaginosis | Sexual health programs aimed at prevention and treatment of infections prior to pregnancy. Specific interventions to prevent infections and mechanisms for early detection and treatment of infections occurring during pregnancy |
Underlying maternal chronic medical conditions | Diabetes, hypertension, anemia, asthma, thyroid disease | Improve control prior to conception and throughout pregnancy |
Lifestyle/work related | Smoking, excess alcohol consumption, recreational drug use, excess physical work/activity | Behavior and community interventions targeting all women of childbearing age in general and pregnant women in particular through antenatal care with early detection and treatment of pregnancy complications |
Genetic and other | Genetic risk, e.g., family history of cervical incompetence | Identification and management of pregnant women at higher risk of preterm birth |