Background: Globally every year about 15 million newborns are born preterm and about 1.1rnmillion of them die due to complications related to prematurity. Preterm birth is the secondrnleading cause of under-five mortality and the first leading cause for neonatal mortality. InrnEthiopia, 25% of neonates die due to prematurity. Socio demographic, medical, obstetric, fetalrnand behavioral factors were documented as important risk factors for prematurity. The effect ofrnmaternal nutritional status measured by anthropometrics on preterm birth is not adequatelyrnassessed in Ethiopia.rnObjectives: To assess the effect of maternal anthropometrics on preterm birth.rnMethods: The study was conducted in Gandhi Memorial Hospital and Tikur Anbessa Hospital.rnFacility based unmatched case control study with sample size of 507 was conducted. The mainrnoutcome measure was preterm birth and measured using either Last Menstrual Period (LMP),rnultrasound for mothers with preterm labor or Ballard examination. Data was entered using EpirnInfo 7 and STATA 14 statistical software was used for data analysis. Binary logistic regressionrnmodel was used to measure the association between preterm birth and risk factors.rnResult: The mean age of respondents was 26 years (Â±3.7). After adjustment for important riskrnfactors for preterm birth, weight gain during pregnancy (Adj OR=3.5, 95%CI [1.12, 10.90]) andrnhyperemesis gravidarum (Adj OR=2.62, 95%CI [1.00, 6.85]) was associated with higher odds ofrnhaving preterm birth. Height, MUAC and pre-pregnancy weight did not showed association withrnpreterm birth when adjusted for other variables.rnConclusion and Recommendation: This study found that mothers who had inadequate weightrngain during pregnancy and had hyperemesis gravidarum during pregnancy had higher odds ofrndelivering preterm birth. We recommend that further study is needed using prospective studyrndesigns, different nutritional status assessment method and on different setup. Attention shouldrnbe given on identifying risky mothers, strengthen nutritional counselling and give counseling forrnmothers to seek early care when they see symptoms of hyperemesis gravidarum. EthiopianrnFMOH may need to strength maternal nutrition education and better monitoring of weight gainrnduring ANC visits.