Poor nutritional status of fifteen-year-old or younger adolescent mothers enhances the risk of small-for-gestational-age newborns

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the factors associated with the birth of small for gestational age newborns. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed with 15 years old or younger postpartum adolescents divided into small-for-gestational-age newborn (SGA) and non-small-for-gestational age newborn groups (NSGA). Socio-demographic, clinical, prenatal care, delivery, postpartum data and anthropometric measures were collected. Results: 8,153 women gave birth at the obstetric ward and 364 (4.46%) ≤ 15 years old adolescents were enrolled in the study. The proportion of SGA newborns was 34.61%. The SGA group attended fewer prenatal visits (p = 0.037), had a higher prevalence of nutritional status classified as "very low weight" (p <0.001) and vaginal delivery (p = 0.023), significantly different from the NSGA group. The nutritional status and vaginal delivery remained significant even after adjustment for confounders. The prevalence risk for SGA birth was 30% higher in the group of mothers with nutritional status classified as "very low weight” by Frisancho (odds ratio 1.30, 95% confidence interval 1.13 to 1.50) (p <0.001). Conclusions: The birth of SGA among adolescents ≤ 15 years of age is independently associated with maternal nutritional status classified as "very low weight" by the mid-arm circumference measures (MAC).