Latin-American Society for Pediatric Research. Abstracts for the 26th annual meeting. November 3-6, 1988, Mar del Plata, Argentina.

Abstract

We have found in children of teenager mothers lower growth velocity and low birth weight, compared with children of adult mothers. We have seen that nutritional and genetic factors that influence this failure are similar in both group of mothers, but affecting a greater number of infants of adolescent's mothers. The more adequate the enviromental conditions the higher the birth weight. We were interested in studying the etiological factors that may delay growth of infants of primipara mothers of medium-low SEL. A transversal study in 500 infants aged 15-24 months was carried out. Nutritional and growth status was evaluated through weight for height (W/H), weight for age (W/A), height for age (H/A), frontoccipital circumference (FOC/A) lean and fat braquial area (LBA, FBA), according to WHO criteria. It was considered short stature when H/A was below 95%. The SEL was evaluated through Graffar scale) the familiar and pregnancy characteristics, and weight and birth height (BW and BH), was recorded. A lower percentage of adequation of W/A, H/A, FOC/A and growth velocity at a lower maternal age and SEL was found. A relation between this parameters and statural adequation was not observed but stature was related with paternal schoolarity, dwelling quality, nutritional pathology and smoking during pregnancy, BW, BH and gestacional age. Statural adequation was more impactated by BW and BH, than many other parameters. Adequations of W/A, W/H, HC/A, LBA and growth velocity were lower when decreasing B/W. The importance of a normal BW to prevent growth failure early in life specially in children of adolescent teenager mothers is discussed.