ABSTRACT
Background: Preterm labor, which defines as live-birth delivery before 37 weeks of gestation is a main determinant of neonatal morbidity and mortality around the world
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of preterm labor in Iran by a meta-analysis study, to be as a final measure for policy makers in this field
Materials and Methods: In this meta-analysis, the databases of Thomson database [Web of Knowledge], PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, Iranmedex, Scientific Information Database [SID], Magiran, and Medlib were searched for articles in English and Persian language published between 1995 and 2014. Among the studies with regard to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 studies [out of 1370 publications] were selected. Data were analyzed by using Stata software version 11. The heterogeneity of reported prevalence among studies was evaluated by the Chi-square based Q test and 12 statistics
Results: The results of Chi-square based on Q test and 12 statistics revealed severe heterogeneity [Q=2505.12, p-value < 0.001 and 12= 99.5%] and consequently, the random effect model was used for the meta-analysis. Based on the random effect model, the overall estimated prevalence of preterm in Iran was 9.2% [95% CI: 7.6 10.7]
Conclusion: Present study summarized the results of previous studies and provided a comprehensive view about the preterm delivery in Iran. In order to achieve a more desirable level and its reduction in the coming years, identifying affecting factor and interventional and preventive actions seem necessary