104. Maternal Mid-Upper Arm Circumference as a Predictor of Low Birth Weight Outcome Among Newborn Deliveries of Adolescents in a Tertiary Level Hospital

Abstract

Maternal malnutrition is a major cause of low birth weight (LBW) newborn outcome especially among adolescent mothers. It is one of the key drivers of child stunting and initiates the vicious cycle of intergenerational malnutrition. The body mass index prior to pregnancy or at the initial trimester is currently being used to establish the desired weight gain all throughout gestation. However, Filipino adolescents often delay their first antenatal visit at a later stage of pregnancy. Without a baseline weight, the establishment of appropriate weight gain and nutritional status is often challenging.