Abstract
Adolescent pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes. However, the determinants of these outcomes are understudied. The present study sought to identify the predictors of adverse birth outcomes among pregnant adolescents in Ghana. In this prospective health centre-based study, 416 pregnant adolescents, aged 13-19 years old, were followed, and 270 birth outcomes were evaluated. We collected data on socio-demographic variables, eating behaviour, household hunger scale (HHS), lived poverty index (LPI) and compliance to antenatal interventions. The prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) and preterm births (PTB) were 15⋅2 and 12⋅5 %, respectively. Pregnant adolescents with no formal education (AOR 9⋅0; P = 0⋅004; 95 % CI 2⋅1, 39⋅8), those who experienced illness (AOR 3⋅0; P = 0⋅011; 95 % CI 1⋅3, 7⋅0), those who experienced hunger (OR 2⋅9; P = 0⋅010; 95 % CI 1⋅3, 6⋅5) and those with high LPI (OR 2⋅5; P = 0⋅014; 95 % CI 1⋅2, 5⋅3) presented increased odds of delivering preterm babies compared with those who have had secondary education, did not experience any illness, were not hungry or having low LPI, respectively. Pregnant adolescents who used insecticide-treated net (ITN) (AOR 0⋅4; P = 0⋅013; 95 % CI 0⋅2, 0⋅9) presented reduced odds LBW children; while those who experienced illness (AOR 2⋅7; P = 0⋅020; 95 % CI 1⋅2, 6⋅0), poorer pregnant adolescents (OR 2⋅5; P = 0⋅014; 95 % CI 1⋅1, 4⋅8) and those who experienced hunger (AOR 3⋅0; P = 0⋅028; 95 % CI 1⋅1, 8⋅1) presented increased odds of LBW children compared with those who used ITN, were not ill, were not poor or did not experience hunger. Adverse birth outcomes were associated with ANC compliance and socioeconomic factors of the pregnant adolescents. Hence, strengthening antenatal uptake and compliance by pregnant adolescents, promoting their livelihood and socioeconomic status, and interventions to prevent teenage pregnancies are strongly recommended.
Highlights
Events that occur during the first 1000 d in a child’s life, including birth outcomes, are significant
Low birth weight (LBW) is estimated at 15–20 % births[3], and 1⋅1 million babies die as a result of preterm birth complications annually[4]
low birth weight (LBW) were proportionally higher among adolescents who were younger than their older counterparts (22⋅2 % v. 14⋅8 %), married than single (19⋅4 % v. 13⋅8 %), employed than unemployed (16⋅9 % v. 15⋅6 %) and among those with highincome range than those without income (33⋅3 % v. 13⋅6 %)
Summary
Events that occur during the first 1000 d (from conception through to 2 years) in a child’s life, including birth outcomes, are significant. They contribute to the commencement of proper development and impact future health[1]. Birth outcomes, including birth weight, gestational age, abortion, neonatal mortality and stillbirths, are a measure of babies’ health at birth. The two most studied indicators are birth weight and gestational age, yet their causes are not fully understood[2]. The WHO estimates that more than 9 million infants were dying within their first birthday or even before birth every year, especially in developing countries[5]. The inequality in birth outcomes between lowand high-income countries is attributed to poor antenatal journals.cambridge.org/jns
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