Introduction:

A preterm birth occurs before the 37th week of pregnancy. It is associated with multiple risk factors, some of which can be prevented. In Colombia, few studies have addressed the risks factors associated with preterm birth, hence the importance of analyzing them.

Objective:

To identify risk factors for preterm birth in a population of pregnant women in Bogotá D.C., Colombia.

Materials and methods:

Retrospective cohort study. The sample was composed of 452 patients who had participated in a primary study and had already given birth.

Results:

The incidence of preterm birth was 10.40% (95%CI: 7.60-13.20). The following risk factors associated with preterm delivery were found: being diagnosed with severe preeclampsia, with a relative risk (RR)=7.47 (95%CI: 4.59-11.95); having preeclampsia (severe and non-severe), with a RR=5.05 (95%CI: 3.0-8.51); and occurrence of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), with a RR=4.40 (95%CI: 2.44-7.98).

Conclusions:

According to the findings reported in this study, it is necessary to plan and implement strategies and public policies in Bogotá D.C. that promote better prenatal care practices that, in turn, allow the early detection of conditions such as preeclampsia and IUGR. This will reduce the incidence of preterm birth in the city and will allow using the experience and results obtained here in the rest of the country.

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