Risk factors associated with preterm birth in the Gaza Strip: hospital-based case-control study.

This study aimed to assess the main maternal risk factors associated with preterm birth in the Gaza Strip. A hospital-based case-control study was carried out at El-Shifa and Khan-Younis hospitals with 200 women with preterm births and 200 control women. Significant risk factors for preterm birth were: maternal age > or = 35 years, being a refugee, inadequate antenatal care, failure to gain adequate weight during pregnancy and previous history of preterm birth. Other significant risk factors included: short stature, short interval between the last 2 pregnancies, presence of congenital gynaecological abnormalities, previous history of caesarean delivery and previous history of stillbirth.