Gebremichael, Bereket (MSc,Ass’t Professor)Tesfaye, Tewodros (BSc, MSc)Zewde, Ashenafi2020-11-132023-11-062020-11-132023-11-062020-09http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/23256Background Preterm birth is alive childbirth before 37 completed weeks or 259 days of gestation from the first date of a woman's last menstrual period. About 15 million babies are born preterm annually and more than a million died due to complications. Preterm birth rates appear to have increased over time and the exact cause of preterm birth is unknown with different risk factors are assumed to have an association. Objective The objective of the study was to assess determinants of preterm birth among newborns in public hospitals of Hawassa town, Southern Ethiopia, 2020.Method A Facility-based unmatched case-control study design was conducted from March 1 st to June 30 th , 2020.The sample size was determinedfrom previous studies by considering double population proportions formulausing r = 2 (ratio of cases to controls), 80% power and 95% confidence level and total sample size was270 mothers 90 cases and 180 controls. Consecutive sampling method for cases and systematic random sampling controls were used.Data was coded and entered into Epi data 3.1 and analyzed by using SPSS version 25.Variables that had (P- value <0.25) in the bivariate logistic regression analysis were entered in multivariable logistic regression model. Finally pvalue <0.05 was used to claim statistical significance. Result Out of the 270 mothers, a total of 266 participated in the study comprising 89 cases and 177 controls with a 98% response rate. Factors like sex of newbornAOR3.39, 95% CI (1.53-7.52), parity AOR4.25,95%CI(1.7010.59), pregnancy induced hypertensionAOR5.62,95%CI(1.10-28.71), antepartum hemorrhage hemorrhage AOR9.20,95%CI(2.09-40.32),premature rapture of membraneAOR4.69,95%CI(1.83-12.07), birth weight AOR6.2,95%CI(1.97-19.53), stressful lifeeventsAOR5.67,95%CI(2.16-14.91) and intimate partner violence AOR5.19,95%CI(2.0613.07)were found to predict preterm birth. Therefore interventions that target the identified modifiable risk factors should be developed by health professionals, professional associations, ministry of health in collaboration with non-governmental organization.en-USPreterm birth,Risk factor,Gestational age, Newborn, EthiopiaThesis