Assessment of risk factors and predictors for spontaneous pre-term birth in a South Indian antenatal cohort

The incidence of preterm births (5.9%) was low in the present cohort. Oligohydramnios and Intrauterine Growth Retardation (IUGR) were identified as significant risk factors for preterm births. Conventional risk factors like short cervix, short stature and biochemical inflammatory markers were not identified as predictors of prematurity. Lower levels of salivary estriol identified among women at risk of preterm births demonstrates the utility of the test as a non-invasive investigation for early identification of preterm births.