Introduction: Premature neonates face a higher risk of medical complications, making them particularly vulnerable and a leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Understanding the risk factors associated with preterm birth is crucial for early identification and the implementation of interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality rates in this patient group.

Objective: To determine the frequency and patterns of risk factors for preterm birth in patients from the Obstetrics and Gynecology service of a level III hospital in Cúcuta, Colombia (January 2020 to December 2021) and to describe the outcomes of neonates in these pregnancies. Methodology: Descriptive study; the sample included 1023 pregnant women treated between January 2020 and December 2021 at Erasmo Meoz University Hospital, with preterm delivery, and their risk factors and neonatal outcomes were evaluated.

Results: During the analyzed period, 12,902 neonates were born, of which 1023 were premature (7,9%); 43% of these births occurred at a gestational age > 35 weeks, which favors neonatal outcomes. A higher frequency (48.2%) of preterm birth was identified in young patients (18 to 25 years), and the main risk factors associated with prematurity for this study were urinary tract infection (48.9%), premature rupture of membranes (40%), preeclampsia-eclampsia (29%), and obstetric hemorrhage (24.4%). Regarding neonates, 35.4% weighed < 2500 grams at birth, and only 15.6% required management in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Conclusions: Preterm birth is a cause of elevated maternal-fetal morbidity and mortality, and the analysis of its risk factors is crucial in management and prognosis. Urinary tract infection stands out as the main risk factor for preterm birth in pregnant women attending H.U.EM, followed by premature rupture of membranes. The average weight was 2690 grams for neonates, and the majority (84.4%) did not require Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admission.

He is a specialist in Maternal-Fetal and Perinatal Medicine with fellowship training in Human and Clinical Genetics. He serves as the Scientific Director of NORFETUS S.A.S. and has held several distinguished leadership positions, including Past President of the Santander Association of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (ASMMAF) and Secretary of the Colombian Federation of Perinatology (FECOPEN). He is also a member of the Maternal-Perinatal Committee of the Colombian Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FECOLSOG). In addition to his clinical and academic contributions as a university lecturer at UNIPAMPLONA and UDES, he serves as a Magistrate at the Medical Ethics Tribunal of Norte de Santander. His professional interests include maternal-fetal medicine, perinatology, and clinical genetics.