Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-16T17:22:44.034Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Premature childbirth: social and behavioural risks in Singapore

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Wai Ping Leong ,
O. A. C. Viegas  and
S. S. Ratnam
Wai Ping Leong
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University of Singapore
O. A. C. Viegas
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University of Singapore
S. S. Ratnam
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University of Singapore
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The associations of social and behavioural factors on preterm birth in Singapore were studied using hospital maternity records of 20,723 consecutive singleton births between January 1986 and November 1991. The overall proportion of preterm births was 3·6%, the rates for the Chinese, Malay and Indian groups being 3·2%, 3·8% and 4·9% respectively. Teenage mothers were at a higher risk of preterm labour compared to women aged 20–29 years. The incidence of preterm labour decreased with increasing educational status. Preterm births were six times more likely in women who had no antenatal care. Women who had three or more previous births were at a higher risk, while those who had one or two previous births were at a lower risk compared to women who had none.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , October 1993 , pp. 465 - 472
Copyright
Copyright © 1993, Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baird, D. (1962) Environmental and obstetrical factors in prematurity with special reference to experience in Aberdeen. Bull. Wld Hlth Org. 26, 291.Google ScholarPubMed
Bakketeig, L. S. & Hoffman, H. J. (1981) In: Preterm Labour, p. 17. Edited by Elder, M. G. & Hendrick, C. H.. Butterworth, London.Google Scholar
Boyle, M. H., Torrance, G. W., Sinclair, J. C. & Horwood, S. P. (1983) Economic evaluation of neonatal intensive care of very low birth weight infants. New Engl. J. Med. 308, 1330.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chase, H. C. (1977) Time trends in low birth weight in the United States, 1950–1974. In: The Epidemiology of Prematurity, p. 17. Edited by Read, D. M. & Stanley, F. J.. Urban & Schwartzenberg, Baltimore.Google Scholar
Davie, R., Butler, N. R. & Goldstein, H. (1972) From Birth to Seven. Longman, London.Google Scholar
Erickson, J. D. & Bjerkedal, T. (1982) Fetal and infant mortality in Norway and the United States. J. Am. med. Ass. 247, 987.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fitzharding, P. M. & Stevens, E. M. (1972) The small-for-date infant. II. Neurological and intellectual sequelae. Pediatrics, 50, 50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCormick, M. C. (1985) The contribution of low birth weight to infant mortality and childhood morbidity. New Engl. J. Med. 312, 82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neligan, G. A., Kolvin, I., Scott, D. M. & Garside, R. F. (1976) Born too soon or too small? In: Clinical and Developmental Medicine. Heinemann, London.Google Scholar
Newn, B., Drummond, M. F., Durban, G. M. & Culley, P. (1984) Costs and outcomes in a regional neonatal intensive care unit. Arch. Dis. Childh. 59, 1064.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ounsted, M., Moar, V. A., Cockburn, J. & Redman, C. W. G. (1984) Factors associated with the intellectual ability of children born to women with high risk pregnancies. Br. med. J. 288, 1038.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pinkerton, J. H. M. (1985) Fetal rights. Ulster. med. J. 54, 30.Google ScholarPubMed
Saigal, S., Rosenbaum, P., Stoskopt, B. & Milner, R. (1982) Follow up of infants 501 to 1500 g birthweight delivered to residents of a geographically defined region with perinatal intensive care facilities. J. Pediatr. 100, 606.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sandhu, B., Stevenson, R. C., Cooke, R. W. & Pharoach, P. O. D. (1986) Cost of neonatal intensive care for very-low-birthweight infants. Lancet, i, 600.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stahlman, M. T. (1984) Newborn intensive care: success or failure? J. Pediatr. 105, 162.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Walker, J. B., Feldman, A., Vohr, B. R. & Oh, W. (1984) Cost-benefit analysis of neonatal intensive care for infants weighing less than 1000 g at birth. Pediatrics, 74, 20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar