The nutrition and health risks faced by pregnant adolescents: Insights from a cross-sectional study in Bangladesh.

Phuong Hong Nguyen,Bachera Aktar,Lan Mai Tran,Tina Sanghvi,Purnima Menon,Raisul Haque,Zeba Mahmud,Kaosar Afsana,Massimo Ciccozzi

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0178878

Phuong Hong Nguyen, Bachera Aktar + Show 7 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178878

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Abstract

Little is known about nutrition and well-being indicators of pregnant adolescents and the availability and use of nutrition interventions delivered through maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) programs. This study compared the differences between pregnant adolescents and adult pregnant women in services received, and in maternal and child nutrition and health conditions. A survey of 2,000 recently delivered women with infants <6 months of age was carried out in 20 sub-districts in Bangladesh where MNCH program is being implemented. Differences in service use and outcomes between pregnant adolescents and adult women were tested using multivariate regression models. The coverage of antenatal care and nutrition services was similar for adolescent and adult mothers. Compared to adult mothers, adolescent mothers had significantly fewer ownership of assets and lower decision making power. Adolescent mothers weighed significantly less than adult women (45.8 vs 47.1 kg, p = 0.001), and their body mass index was significantly lower (19.7 vs 21.3, p = 0.001). Adolescents recovered later and with greater difficulty after childbirth. Infants of adolescent mothers had significant lower height-for-age z-score (-0.89 vs -0.74, p = 0.04), lower weight-for age z-score (-1.21 vs -1.08, p = 0.02) and higher underweight prevalence (22.4% vs 17.9%, p = 0.04) compared to infants of adult women. In conclusion, this study confirms that adolescent pregnancy poses substantial risks for maternal and infant outcomes, and emphasizes that these risks are significant even where services during pregnancy are available and accessed. A focus on preventing adolescent pregnancy is imperative, while also strengthening health and nutrition services for all pregnant women, whether adult or adolescent.

Highlights

Bangladesh contributes a substantial proportion of adolescent pregnancies to the global burden of premature motherhood
In the context of an ongoing study to examine the feasibility of strengthening maternal nutrition interventions within an existing MNCH program, this paper examines differences in services received during pregnancy for these two groups and compares maternal and child nutrition and health conditions of pregnant adolescents with those of non-adolescents
The average age of marriage and age at first birth was and parity were lower for adolescent mothers as compared with adults (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Bangladesh contributes a substantial proportion of adolescent pregnancies to the global burden of premature motherhood. It is among one of the 10 countries with the highest prevalence of pregnancy among adolescent girls in both relative prevalence (40%) and absolute number. The nutrition and health risks of pregnant adolescents in Bangladesh. The health and social consequences of adolescent pregnancies are well documented [2,3]. The health consequences of adolescent pregnancy include the greater risk of anemia, low birth weight, preterm birth, maternal and neonatal mortality [4]. The recent Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health focuses on critical population groups, such as adolescents and recommends greater investments in nutrition [7]

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