Introduction: Pre-term birth happens when the fetus is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy and is considered one of the main risk factors of neonatal morbidity and mortality. It has a complex etiology and a wide scope. Objective: Identify the risk factors associated with pre-term birth. Method: Population-based case-control study. Children born alive in Londrina hospitals from June 2006 to March 2007 were studied. Cases were analyzed from 328 births with pregnancy length below 37 weeks (pre-term) and checks were studied from a birth representative sample (369) with pregnancy length above 37 weeks or more. Data were obtained from interviews carried out with mothers at the hospital and mothers and newborns medical reports. Variables studied were grouped in five groups, representing different hierarchical levels: socioeconomic characteristics; pre-conceptive characteristics and reproduction history; pregnancy conditions; pregnancy problems and fetus characteristics. A multiple hierarchical logistics regression analysis was carried out. Results: There was a significant relation (P<0.05) between pre-term birth and the following variables: group 1-place-shanty towns(OR=1.80; CI 95% 1.02,3.19); and head of the family aged between16 and 29 years old (OR=1.57; CI 95% 1.15,2.13); group 2mothers presenting a BMI < 19 kg/m 2-thin mothers (OR=2.12; CI 95% 1.40,3.21) or BMI ≥30 kg/m 2-obese mothers (OR=1.96; CI 95% 1.04,3.70), history of a pre-term birth (OR=3.04; CI 95% 1.83,5.05) and among women undertaking fertility treatment (OR=8.28; CI 95% 2.70,25.41); group 3mothers who have been in a relationship with the same partner for less than two years (OR=1.44; CI 95% 1.03,2.00) , stressed mothers (OR=1.52; CI 95% 1.05,2.21), mothers who consumed alcoholic beverages weekly (OR=2.52; CI 95% 1.19,5.36) and mothers who had not taken appropriate prenatal care (OR=3.57; 1.48-8.58), regular walks during pregnancy was a protector factor (OR=0.48; CI 95% 0.33-0.70); group 4-mothers with bleeding onset (OR=5.19; CI 95% 2.54,10.60); genital tract infection (OR=2.96; CI 95% 1.09,7.99), amniotic volume alterations (OR=5.82; CI 95% 2.32,14.56), high blood pressure with (OR=8.67; CI 95% 4.09,18.37) and without eclampsia (OR=1.91;CI 95% 1.01,3.61) and hospital admission (OR=5.55; CI 95% 2.86,10.77); group 5-twin pregnancy was strongly associated with risk (OR=20.10; CI 95% 4.44,90.99). Conclusion: An unfavorable socioeconomic condition added to some maternal biological characteristics, pregnancy-related health problems and psychosocial conditions constitute a high risk for pre-term births. An improvement of the pre-natal quality service and the identification of the factors listed above during pregnancy may reduce premature birth.