Prevalence of Preterm Birth in a Marginalized Roma Population-Quantitative Analysis in One of the Most Disadvantaged Regions of Hungary.

Preterm birth is a leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality and is particularly prevalent among socially disadvantaged female populations. This quantitative, cross-sectional study aimed to explore the prevalence of preterm birth in three segregated Roma communities in Hungary and to identify health behavior and care factors associated with its occurrence. In our study, preterm birth was defined as delivery before 37 completed weeks of gestation (i.e., <259 days). Data were collected from 231 Roma women living in three municipalities of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, one of Hungary's most disadvantaged regions, using a structured interview questionnaire. The participants were women aged 18-65 years. Of these, 209 had been pregnant at least once in their lifetime. The questionnaire covered socio-demographic characteristics (age, level of education, employment status, housing conditions, marital status), health behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption, drug use, vitamin supplementation, other substance use), antenatal care attendance, and birth outcomes (preterm birth, gestational age, low birth weight, newborn status). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression with significance set at