Thesis:

Maternal Factors Associated With Preterm Births at Thika Level 5, Kiambu County, Kenya.

A preterm birth is defined as those that occur before 37 weeks of gestation, common symptoms of babies born prematurely include immature lungs, difficulty regulating body temperature, poor feeding and slow weight gain. Premature babies ay need intense nursery care, medication and sometimes surgery. Preterm birth is one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality it contributes to 60-80 per cent of all neonatal deaths. The causes of preterm birth are unknown in over 50% of spontaneous preterm labor, and mechanisms of preterm labor remain poorly understood .Child birth outcomes have become the focus of achieving MDG 4 that aims to reduce child mortality and reduce the less than 5 mortality rate by two thirds. The main objective of the study was to determine the factors associated with birth outcomes among post-natal mothers at Thika Level V Hospital, Kiambu County. The specific objectives aligned with the main objective included: to investigate the maternal socio demographic factors associated with preterm births at Thika Level V Hospital; to assess the health seeking behaviours associated with preterm births at Thika Level V Hospital; to establish the maternal health obstetric factors associated with preterm births at Thika Level V Hospital.This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Quantitative approach was used in collection of data using structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Simple random sampling technique was used to sample the participants; and analysis performed using STATA. Chi square test of independence was used to determine significance of the variables; it revealed that the iron and folic acid supplementation (IFAS) in pregnancy (p=0.035) and number of antenatal visits (p=0.001) were the significant factors associated with preterm births. Bivariate logistic regression was used to determine the factors independently associated with preterm births. This confirmed the outcome of the prior findings; Antenatal visits odds ratio p=.459, OR=.1.359 (95% CI; .385, .1.537). And the odds of IFAS supplements are p=.103, OR= 1.694(95% CI: .899, .3.192). IFAS supplements and antenatal visits are significant factors associated with preterm births.