Abstract
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).
Highlights
Childhood undernutrition remains global public health concern especially in low- and middle-income countries because as many as 165 million children are estimated to be stunted and it is an underlying cause of 3.1 million child deaths annually [1]
Women in fertile age (WIFA) are estimated to be 28,008 with 4,668 expected deliveries while children aged 0–59 months constitute 21,590 [16]. e municipality consists of 99 communities which are predominantly rural; only 13% of the population live in towns. e settlement pattern of the population is dispersed. is settlement pattern has a profound effect on the distribution of social amenities and public goods, especially water and sanitation facilities [16]
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, there was still a significant difference in mean length-for-age z-score (LAZ) between the study groups (F (1, 529) 11.79, p 0.001), the difference reduced to 0.55 (0.51 versus −0.04), p 0.001
Summary
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. e present study assessed the independent association of birth interval with birth weight and subsequent postnatal growth indices. 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. E present study assessed the independent association of birth interval with birth weight and subsequent postnatal growth indices. Is retrospective cohort study carried out in the rural areas of Kassena-Nankana district of Ghana compared postnatal growth across different categories of birth intervals. E 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). E 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) Conclusions. e 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)
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