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Review
. 2024 Nov 27;16(11):e74562.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.74562. eCollection 2024 Nov.

Prevalence of Preterm Birth in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Eman H Almaghaslah  1   2 , Israa Al Ibrahim  2 , Sakinah S Al-Zahir  3 , Ahmed Z Al Saif  4   2
Affiliations
Review

Prevalence of Preterm Birth in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Eman H Almaghaslah et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Preterm birth, defined as delivery before 37 weeks of gestation, is a significant contributor to neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Understanding the prevalence of preterm birth is critical to improving neonatal care, informing public health strategies, and supporting health care planning. The objective of this study was to explore the problem of preterm birth in Saudi Arabia by estimating the prevalence of preterm birth over a defined period of time. CINAHL, Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Database, Embase, and Medline were searched, limiting the search to the human Saudi population, with no date or language restriction. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened to determine eligibility for inclusion. Included studies were assessed for risk of bias utilizing the Let Evidence Guide Every New Decision (LEGEND) tool. Then, data were extracted in a customized data collection form. Among the 14 full texts reviewed, 10 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the final review, with a total of 50,514 participants for singletons and 336 sets of twins or/and high-order gestation in different regions of Saudi Arabia. Six studies have been entered into the meta-analysis and resulted in a pooled prevalence of preterm birth of 7.89 per 100 live births (95% confidence interval: 6.94 to 8.97). For multiple pregnancies, the average prevalence of preterm birth was 91.3 per 100 live births (95% confidence interval: 88.3 to 94.3). The overall preterm birth rate in Saudi Arabia can be utilized in national health planning and public health policy development. By knowing the prevalence of preterm birth, healthcare practitioners and policymakers can effectively plan for capacity building and healthcare services to provide efficient and proactive care for preterm infants, ultimately improving patient outcomes by reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Keywords: maternal; pregnancy; premature birth; preterm; saudi arabia.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. PRISMA flow chart
PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
Figure 2
Figure 2. Risk of bias summary
+: the criterion was fully met; ?: uncertainty or insufficient information to assess the criterion; yellow color: the study partially meets the criterion or has some concerns regarding the risk of bias; green color: the study fully meets the criterion with low risk of bias.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Forest plot for the prevalence of preterm births in Saudi Arabia
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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