A Comparison of Low Birth Weight Among Newborns of Early Adolescents, Late Adolescents, and Adult Mothers in the Peruvian Amazon

Abstract

To compare low birth weight (LBW: <2,500 g) between infants born to adolescent and adult mothers in Iquitos, Peru. A random sample of 4,467 records of women who delivered at the Hospital Apoyo Iquitos between 2005 and 2007 was collected from hospital birth registries. Multivariate logistic and linear regression analyses were performed to compare LBW in newborns of adolescents (10-14, 15-19 years) and adults (≥20 years) and then for primiparous mothers with a normal gestational age, adjusting for newborn sex, antenatal care, and location of the mother's residence. A total of 4,384 mothers had had a singleton live birth and 1,501 were primiparous with a normal gestational age. Early and late adolescents had significantly greater odds of having a LBW infant than adults (OR = 2.28, 95%CI: 1.09, 4.78; OR = 1.67, 95%CI: 1.30, 2.14, respectively). For primiparous mothers with a normal gestational age, the same was true only for early adolescents (OR = 3.07, 95%CI: 1.09, 8.61). There were significant differences in mean birth weight between adults (3178.7 g) and both adolescent age groups overall (10-14 years: 2848.9 g; 15-19 years: 2998.3 g) and for primiparous mothers with a normal gestational age (10-14 years: 2900.8 g; 15-19 years: 3059.2 g; ≥20 years: 3151.8 g). Results suggest there is an important difference between adolescent and adult mothers in terms of newborn birth weight, especially among early adolescents. Future research on LBW and possibly other adverse birth outcomes should consider early adolescents as a separate sub-group of higher risk.

Determinant of Low Birth Weight Infants: A Matched Case Control Study

“…Maternal age was found significantly associated with low birth weight infants. The younger age group is at risk of having LBW babies compared to older age group and this finding is consistent with other studies [10] [13] [22]- [24]. However, there were also studies reported that the older maternal age is at higher risk in getting LBW infants [16].…”

Embarazo adolescente como factor de riesgo para complicaciones obstétricas y perinatales en un hospital de Lima, Perú

“…El embarazo adolescente puede mostrar variación en su relación con las complicaciones obstétricas y perinatales no solo por un aspecto relacionado con la madurez biológica, sino también por factores sociales y culturales que no hemos medido, como las condiciones socioeconómicas, el acceso a la educación y servicios de salud, relaciones familiares, condiciones de pareja y estabilidad emocional, que son diferentes entre adolescentes y adultas y que están asociados a algunas complicaciones que hemos evaluado. 28,29 Es por esto que es importante conocer los riesgos diferenciados por lugares, pues estos otros factores no medidos, pueden contribuir a un perfil distinto de los riesgos del embarazo adolescente en cada región.…”

Üçüncü basamak olan kliniğimizde on yıl boyunca adolesan gebeler, genç yetişkin gebeler ve yetişkin gebelerin arasında gebelik sonuçlarının karşılaştırılması

“…In the literature, regardless of whether adolescent pregnant women are in underdeveloped, developing, or developed countries, their babies' weight is lower than that of adult pregnant women. [16][17][18][19][20][21][22] Gestational age was also lower in the adolescent pregnant group compared to the adult cohorts. It is understood that this situation is associated with preterm birth and IUGR.…”