Technology-free predictors of preterm birth in singleton women with threatened preterm labor: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: Prediction of preterm birth is still a challenge due to its multiple etiologies. This prospective cohort study aimed to determine the technology-free predictors of preterm birth in singleton women with threatened preterm labor. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was performed on 371 singleton women with gestational age of 23(+ 6) to 36(+ 4) weeks hospitalized for threatened preterm labor. The data were collected using a questionnaire including demographic characteristics, medical and maternal history, as well as the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and the WHO’s questionnaire of Violence against Women (VAW). The participants were followed-up until childbirth. The predictors were determined using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Preterm birth occurred in 51% of women. Seven variables were determined as predictors; rupture of membranes [adjusted odds ratio 11.7, 95% confidence interval 5.4 to 25.6], cervical dilation [AOR 4.1, 95% CI 2.0 to 7.0], gravidity ≥6 [AOR 27.4, 95%CI 2.8 to 264.3], psychological violence during pregnancy [AOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.2], medical problems in pregnancy onset [AOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.8], vaginal bleeding/spotting [AOR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2 to 4.0] and woman age ≤ 19 [AOR 2.2, 95% CI 1.1 to 4.5]. The proportion of variance explained by all these factors was 33.6%. CONCLUSIONS: The technology-free factors seems to have moderate power in preterm birth prediction in singleton pregnant women hospitalized for threatened preterm labor. However, these results are discoveries without verification or validation and need to be confirmed by generalizable studies.