Investigation on the Relationship Between the Lifestyle of Pregnant Women and the Birth of Premature Infants and Related Risk Factors: A Case-Control Study

Background and Objectives: One of the causes of neonatal death and death in children under the age of five is premature birth of infants. The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors associated with preterm infant birth in pregnant women.   Methods: This is a case-control study on mothers referring to comprehensive health centers in the provinces of the country. Descriptive analysis of variables was reported as percentage and frequency. In data analysis, logistic regression analysis was used at a significant level less than 0.05.   Results: In this study, 2463 pregnant women (668 cases as cases and 1795 as controls) were examined. There was a significant relationship between the place of residence (OR=0.702, P=0.002), level of maternal education (OR=1.920, P=0.027), degree of twin (OR=4.953, P=0.001), interval between pregnancies (OR=1.821, P=0.009), specific disease (OR=1.694, P=0.010), nutritional status of the mother (OR=1.420, P=0.024), physical activity (OR=1.591, P=0.001), Sleep patterns (OR=0.634, P=0.008) and history of stillbirth (OR=0.247, P=0.001) associated with the birth of premature infants.   Conclusion: Preterm infant birth is one of the main causes of neonatal death. Therefore, some of the birth defects of the premature baby can be prevented. It is possible to reduce the risk factors for the birth of a premature baby by improving the quality of pregnancy care and changing the lifestyle of the pregnant mother, and by raising awareness and creating a healthy and safe environment for the mother.