The prevalence and factors associated with premature birth among post-delivery women in the Mbeya region: An analytical cross-sectional study

In Tanzania, there was an increase of prematurity rate from 11.4% in 2014 up to 16.60% in 2016 (1). This is a hospital based analytical cross-sectional study which involved biopsychosocial model, which focused on identifying prevalence and associated factors for preterm births among post-delivery women in Mbeya region, one of Tanzania regions. This study involved hospitals in Mbeya urban, Mbeya rural, Chunya, Kyela, Mbarali, Rungwe, Busokelo and Tukuyu districts, where the prevalence of preterm births in Mbeya found to be 39.1%. The study pointed out that factors associated with preterm births were child spacing of <24months (AOR=3.058; 95% CI = 1.026-9.116: p-value 0.045), non-effective use of malaria prophylaxis during pregnancy (AOR=5.418; 95% CI =1. p-value 0.008), twin pregnancy (AOR=4.657; 95% CI =2.112-10.223, p-value < 0.001), violence during pregnancy (AOR=2.059; p-value 0.048), lack of social support (AOR=1.993; p-value 0.022) and use of pica during pregnancy (AOR=1.880; p-value 0.029). The study outcome revealed that the prevalence of preterm births in Mbeya Region is even higher. Therefore, to minimize or eliminate the problem a deliberate effort to come up with strategies to improve family planning, applications of antimalaria prophylaxis, stop the use of pica and violence during pregnancy was highly recommended.