Inequalities in Preterm Birth in England: A Retrospective National Cohort Study Focusing on Deprivation and Ethnicity, Using Routinely Collected Maternity Hospital Data.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To quantify the interplay between socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities in preterm birth rates in England from 2018 to 2021.

Design

A retrospective cohort study using electronic health data.

Setting

English hospitals.

Population

1537 595 women aged 13-55 with a singleton livebirth (April 2018-March 2021) at 24-42 gestational weeks were included.

Methods

Multivariate Poisson regression was used to estimate the rate of preterm birth in each ethnic and deprivation group, adjusted rate ratios between groups, and associations. A post hoc calculation identified the rate of preterm birth for each ethnic group at each level of deprivation.

Main outcome measures

Preterm birth (birth at less than 37 gestational weeks).

Results

The rate of p

SUBMITTER: Hindes I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12501656 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature