Association between antenatal care visit and preterm birth: a cohort study in rural Bangladesh

Background Strengthening the antenatal care programme is suggested as one of the public health strategies to reduce preterm birth burden at a population level. However, the evidence so far available is inconclusive.Objectives To evaluate the association between antenatal care (ANC) visit and preterm...

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Main Authors: Anisur Rahman, Monjur Rahman, Jesmin Pervin, Shaki Aktar, Syed Moshfiqur Rahman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020-07-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/7/e036699.full
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author Anisur Rahman
Monjur Rahman
Jesmin Pervin
Shaki Aktar
Syed Moshfiqur Rahman
author_facet Anisur Rahman
Monjur Rahman
Jesmin Pervin
Shaki Aktar
Syed Moshfiqur Rahman
author_sort Anisur Rahman
collection DOAJ
description Background Strengthening the antenatal care programme is suggested as one of the public health strategies to reduce preterm birth burden at a population level. However, the evidence so far available is inconclusive.Objectives To evaluate the association between antenatal care (ANC) visit and preterm birth; and also to explore to what extent the increased usage of ANC after the initiation of the Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH) project in Matlab, Bangladesh, contributed to the reduction of preterm birth.Setting This population-based cohort study was conducted in Matlab, a subdistrict under Chandpur. The analysis was based on data collected from 2005 to 2009. In 2007, an MNCH project was initiated in the area that strengthened the ongoing ANC services.Participants In total, 12 980 live births with their mothers during the study period were included in the analysis.Analysis We performed logistic regression with generalised estimating equation models to evaluate the associations.Outcome measures Preterm birth.Results The number of ANC visits was associated with preterm birth in a dose-dependent way (p for linear trend <0.001). The adjusted odds of preterm birth were 2.4-times higher (OR 2.37, 95% CI 2.07 to 2.70) among women who received ≤1 ANC compared with women who received ≥3 ANC. We observed a significant reduction of preterm birth rates (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.77) in the period after (2008 to 2009) MNCH project initiation in comparison to the period before (2005 to 2006). Controlling for ANC visits substantially attenuated this observed effect of the MNCH project on preterm birth (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.99) (Sobel test of mediation p<0.001).Conclusions ANC visits are associated with decreased occurrences of preterm births. Strengthening the ANC services should be prioritised in countries with high preterm birth rates to reduce the preterm birth burden at the population level.
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spelling doaj-art-6835c9d3d8f04720813268e72a20be8d2024-12-04T15:05:08ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552020-07-0110710.1136/bmjopen-2019-036699Association between antenatal care visit and preterm birth: a cohort study in rural BangladeshAnisur Rahman0Monjur Rahman1Jesmin Pervin2Shaki Aktar3Syed Moshfiqur Rahman413 Department of Medicine, Centre for Rheumatology, University College London, London, UKNutritional and Clinical Services Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh, Dhaka, Dhaka District, BangladeshMaternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh, Dhaka, Dhaka District, BangladeshMaternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, BangladeshGlobal Health and Migration Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SwedenBackground Strengthening the antenatal care programme is suggested as one of the public health strategies to reduce preterm birth burden at a population level. However, the evidence so far available is inconclusive.Objectives To evaluate the association between antenatal care (ANC) visit and preterm birth; and also to explore to what extent the increased usage of ANC after the initiation of the Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH) project in Matlab, Bangladesh, contributed to the reduction of preterm birth.Setting This population-based cohort study was conducted in Matlab, a subdistrict under Chandpur. The analysis was based on data collected from 2005 to 2009. In 2007, an MNCH project was initiated in the area that strengthened the ongoing ANC services.Participants In total, 12 980 live births with their mothers during the study period were included in the analysis.Analysis We performed logistic regression with generalised estimating equation models to evaluate the associations.Outcome measures Preterm birth.Results The number of ANC visits was associated with preterm birth in a dose-dependent way (p for linear trend <0.001). The adjusted odds of preterm birth were 2.4-times higher (OR 2.37, 95% CI 2.07 to 2.70) among women who received ≤1 ANC compared with women who received ≥3 ANC. We observed a significant reduction of preterm birth rates (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.77) in the period after (2008 to 2009) MNCH project initiation in comparison to the period before (2005 to 2006). Controlling for ANC visits substantially attenuated this observed effect of the MNCH project on preterm birth (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.99) (Sobel test of mediation p<0.001).Conclusions ANC visits are associated with decreased occurrences of preterm births. Strengthening the ANC services should be prioritised in countries with high preterm birth rates to reduce the preterm birth burden at the population level.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/7/e036699.full
spellingShingle Anisur Rahman
Monjur Rahman
Jesmin Pervin
Shaki Aktar
Syed Moshfiqur Rahman
Association between antenatal care visit and preterm birth: a cohort study in rural Bangladesh
BMJ Open
title Association between antenatal care visit and preterm birth: a cohort study in rural Bangladesh
title_full Association between antenatal care visit and preterm birth: a cohort study in rural Bangladesh
title_fullStr Association between antenatal care visit and preterm birth: a cohort study in rural Bangladesh
title_full_unstemmed Association between antenatal care visit and preterm birth: a cohort study in rural Bangladesh
title_short Association between antenatal care visit and preterm birth: a cohort study in rural Bangladesh
title_sort association between antenatal care visit and preterm birth a cohort study in rural bangladesh
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/7/e036699.full
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