MATERNAL HEIGHT AS AN INDEPENDENT RISK FACTOR FOR NEONATAL SIZE AMONG ADOLESCENT BENGALEES IN KOLKATA, INDIA

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Low Birth Weight is a major public health problem in developi ng countries. The causes of LBWare multifactorial including complication during pregnancy, genetic, environmental, social -cultural, demographicand nutritional variables. Comparison of anthropometric risk factors for neonatal size of adolescent mothers arelacking from West Bengal. Therefore, this study was undertaken to identify maternal anthropometriccharacteristics, which most strongly influence neonate weight and length among Bengalee mothers.METHODS: A hospital based cross-sectional study was undertaken during 2004 in a Government general hospitalin South Kolkata, India. A total of 76 adolescent (age<20years) pregnant women were enrolled from obstetric wardwho were admitted for delivery. Due to 4 perinatal deaths; a total of 72 adolescent mother- baby pairs were includedin this analysis. Anthropometric measurements were undertaken immediately after delivery following stabilizationas well maternal body mass index (BMI) was calculated using standard formula.RESULTS: The prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) in the present study was 52.8%. The results revealed that30.6% of mothers were undernourished (BMI<19.8 kg/m 2 ). It was noted that about 64% of undernourished mothersdelivered LBW baby. Linear regression analyses of neonatal weight and length as dependent variables revealed thatin both cases, maternal height had the most significant impact. It showed 12.9% (birth weight) and 16.1% (birthlength) of variation. Moreover, the proportion of LBW was 75%, 52.3% and 25% among short (height ≤145 cm),average (146-155cm) and tall (>155cm) mothers (x 2 =6.855, p<0.01), respectively. Short mothers had 2.74 and 9.0fold greater risk of delivering LBW baby than average and tall mothers. In contrast, mean birth weight and lengthof baby was lower in short mother than their counterparts.CONCLUSION: This study revealed that maternal height had the strongest significant impact on neonate size. Thisstrong association could have serious health implications for Bengalee adolescent mothers. However, since this is apreliminary finding, it needs validation using a larger sample of adolescent mothers.