The gestational weight gain and the birth weight outcome in adolescent pregnancy compared to young adult pregnancy.

Abstract

Design The study design incorporated a random assignment to either a teenage group (13–18 years of age; n=50), or to an adult group (19–25 years of age; n=50). Comparisons were made on length of gestation; maternal birthdate; maternal gravida; maternal pregestational weight; maternal weight at the first visit; maternal height; maternal prepregnancy BMI; weights measured monthly during gestation; gestational age at delivery; infant birth weight and length between the two groups. Pregnancy outcome was defined as optimum if newborn birth weight ranged from 3 to 4Kg. The total maternal weight gain was calculated.Subjects/Setting Patients were from a designated prenatal clinic in an inner city hospital.Statistical Analysis Multi-variate regression analysis was used to determine mean differences in weight gain on the pregnancy outcome between the two groups.Results No significant difference was found between the birth weight of the babies of the two groups.Conclusions This study demonstrated that mothers’ weight gain is the strongest determinant of the birth weight of the babies regardless of their age. No significant difference was found in the birth weights of infants born to adolescents and young adult mothers, when race and gravidity were comparable in the two groups. A significant correlation was noted between the weight gain of adolescent African-American mothers and the birth weight of their babies. However, this correlation was not noted among young adult African-American mothers suggesting that a higher weight gain among adolescents may result in larger babies.