KUMJ | VOL. 23 | NO. 5 | ISSUE 93 | DECEMBER, 2026

A Comparative Study of Risk Factors and Neonatal Outcome between Preterm and Term Birth in a Tertiary Care Hospital
Mandal M, Shrestha A

Abstract:
Background Preterm birth is childbirth occurring at less than 37 completed weeks of pregnancy or before 259 days of gestation. These births lead to increased mortality and morbidity due to various short-term and long-term consequences. Identification of risk factors and early intervention are essential steps to decrease prevalence and ultimately reduce the associated neonatal mortality and morbidity. Objective To compare the risk factors and neonatal outcomes of preterm and term births in a tertiary care hospital. Method A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Dhulikhel Hospital from March 2024 to March 2025. A convenient sample of 160 participants (80 preterm and 80 term births) were enrolled using a non-probability sampling method. Data were collected through structured interviews and analysed using SPSS version 25. The Chi square test was applied to identify statistically significant characteristics, which were then analysed using multivariate logistic regression to explore the association of risk factors between preterm and term births. Result Factors found to be statistically significant on the Chi square test included maternal infection, irregular calcium consumption, previous history of preterm birth, exposure to indoor pollution, maternal comorbidities, and hospital admission of the neonate. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that women with Urinary tract infection (p= 0.008, AOR = 2.53), previous history of preterm birth (p = 0.02, AOR = 2.12), and hypertension (p = 0.018, AOR = 10.48) were significantly associated with the risk of preterm birth. Preterm babies had an increased risk of hospital admission (p = 0.003, AOR = 4.57). Conclusion Urinary tract infection, hypertension, and a prior history of preterm birth are major maternal risk factors for preterm delivery. Preterm neonates exhibit increased morbidity and are more likely to require hospital admission.
Keyword : Comparative study, Neonatal outcome, Preterm birth, Risk factors, Tertiary care hospital