Background. Although available evidence suggests short birth intervals are associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, little is known about the extent to which birth spacing affects postnatal child growth. The present study assessed the independent association of birth interval with birth weight and subsequent postnatal growth indices. Methods. This retrospective cohort study carried out in the rural areas of Kassena-Nankana district of Ghana compared postnatal growth across different categories of birth intervals. Birth intervals were calculated as month difference between consecutive births of a woman. The study population comprised 530 postpartum women who had delivered a live baby in the past 24 months prior to the study. Results. Using the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) that adjusted for age of the child, gender of the child, weight-for-length z-score (WLZ), birth weight, adequacy of antenatal care (ANC) attendance, and dietary diversity of the child, the mean length-for-age z-score (LAZ) among children of short preceding birth interval (<24 months) was significantly higher than among children of long birth interval (that is, at least 24 months) ((0.51 versus −0.04) (95% CI: 0.24–0.87), p  = 0.001). The adjusted mean birth weight of children born to mothers of longer birth interval was 74.0 g more than children born to mothers of shorter birth interval (CI: 5.89–142.0, p < 0.03). Conclusions. The results suggest that a short birth interval is associated positively with an increased risk of low birth weight (an indicator of foetal growth), but birth spacing is associated negatively with the LAZ (an indicator of postnatal growth).

BACKGROUND: Even though the Ghana Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) initiative for scaling up service delivery is in place, the level of neonatal mortality remains high. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to understand the current maternal antenatal performance and its effects on the birth weight of infants and selected new born care practices: Early initiation of breast-feeding; pre-lacteal feeding; Bathing of newborn after birth; Cord care; and Giving of water. METHODS: This community-based cross sectional survey combines both qualitative and quantitative data collection on a sample of 240 mothers and their babies; who were delivered in the community. RESULTS: A total of 81.7% (196) of the women begun seeking Antenatal Care (ANC) during the first trimester of pregnancy and 91.7% (220) attended ANC sessions four or more times. Application of inappropriate substances to the umbilical cord was 79.2% (190). Most women, 96.3% (231), gave colostrum to their babies. Women who gave birth to normal weight babies were about two times more likely to have attended ANC as early as in the second trimester compared to women who did not give birth to normal weight babies (OR=1.69, CI: 0.740-3.867); P=0.213. Mothers who initiated ANC in the first trimester gave colostrum to their newborn infants compared to those in the second and third trimesters (OR=6.28, X 2 =13.44, P=0.037). CONCLUSION: The study could not establish that early initiation of ANC in the first or second trimesters and maternal age at first delivery was independent predictors of the selected newborn care practices