Gebremichael BereketTesfaye TewodrosZewde 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 ofgestation from the first date of a woman's last menstrual period. About 15 million babies areborn preterm annually and more than a million died due to complications. Preterm birth ratesappear to have increased over time and the exact cause of preterm birth is unknown withdifferent 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 Hawassatown, Southern Ethiopia, 2020.Method A Facility-based unmatched case-control study designwas conducted from March 1st to June 30th, 2020.The sample size was determinedfrom previous studies by considering double population proportions formulausing r = 2 (ratio ofcases to controls), 80% power and 95% confidence level and total sample size was270mothers 90 cases and 180 controls. Consecutive sampling method for cases and systematicrandom 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 bivariatelogistic regression analysis were entered in multivariablelogisticregressionmodel.Finallypvalue<0.05wasusedtoclaimstatisticalsignificance.ResultOutofthe270mothers,atotalof266 participated in the study comprising 89 cases and 177 controls with a 98% responserate. 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), antepartumhemorrhage hemorrhage AOR9.20,95%CI(2.09-40.32),premature rapture ofmembraneAOR4.69,95%CI(1.83-12.07), birth weight AOR6.2,95%CI(1.97-19.53), stressfullifeeventsAOR5.67,95%CI(2.16-14.91) and intimate partner violence AOR5.19,95%CI(2.0613.07)werefound to predict preterm birth. Therefore interventions that target the identifiedmodifiable 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