The Association Between Neighborhood Gunshot Frequency and the Development of Preterm Birth.

Objective: To determine the association between stress, as objectively measured by frequency of neighborhood gunshots and preterm birth (PTB).

Study design: A retrospective chart review of 1675 individual births was analyzed of pregnant women who lived in the City of Syracuse, New York, United States. The frequency of gunshots was measured in the acute phase (within 1 week of delivery) and the chronic phase (sum total of all gunshots in the previous 2 years). Primary outcome includes PTB prior to 37 weeks of gestation. Secondary analysis includes delivery prior to 34, 32, and 28 weeks of gestation.

Result: Gunshots were significantly different between the three districts of Syracuse, which matched with differences in socioeconomic and comorbid conditions. The different districts also experienced differences in frequency of PTB (highest 18%, medium 13%, lowest 12%, p = 0.018). However, those with versus without PTB at any gestational age did not differ in the frequency of gunshots in acute phase or chronic phase.

Conclusion: The use of acute-phase and chronic-phase gunshots as a method to simulate stress levels is not associated with the development of PTB.