Association between adolescent motherhood and maternal and child health indices in Maiduguri, Nigeria: a community-based cross-sectional study

Abstract

IntroductionAdolescent motherhood (childbearing below 18 years of age) is a major global health and social problem. Understanding the impact of early motherhood on maternal and child health indices is important to community and population health promotion in developing countries. This study examined the association between adolescent motherhood and maternal and child health indices in Maiduguri, Nigeria.MethodsA cross-sectional design method was used to recruit 220 mothers (age=14–25 years) from four communities in the city of Maiduguri, Northeastern Nigeria. Participants were surveyed using a self-developed interviewer-administered questionnaire that assesses maternal and child health indices and sociodemographic characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was used to compute adjusted OR and 95% CI of the associations between motherhood in adolescence (mothers below 18 years old) and maternal and child health indices.ResultsCompared to adult mothers, adolescent mothers were more likely to experience fistula (OR=5.01, 95% CI=3.01 to 14.27), to have postpartum haemorrhage (OR=6.83, 95% CI=2.93 to 15.92), to have sexually transmitted infections (OR=6.29, 95% CI=2.26 to 17.51) and to lose a child within 5 years of birth (OR=3.52, 95% CI=1.07 to 11.60). Children born to adolescent mothers were less likely to have normal weight at birth (OR=0.34, CI=0.15 to 0.73) than those born to adult mothers.ConclusionAdolescent motherhood was associated with negative maternal and child health indices. The findings can be used by public health professionals including physiotherapists in this role to inform effective primary healthcare practice and community health advocacy to improve maternal and child health indices among adolescent mothers in Maiduguri. Future studies are needed to confirm the evidence at the regional or national level including the rural population in Nigeria.

The Effect of Adolescent Pregnancy on Child Mortality in 46 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

“…Compared with other known risk factors, young maternal age appears to be among the strongest risk factors of child mortality. Our findings confirm and substantially expand the conclusions from previous studies about the association between early childbearing and adverse child health outcomes, 2,23, 24 and suggest that the increased risk to children of younger mothers continues to linger even in regions with dropping adolescent pregnancy rates such as South Asia. Even in adjusted analyses, after controlling for several risk factors, the associations between adolescent pregnancy and child survival remained similar, except for neonatal and infant mortality where the effect was reduced after adjustment for health-seeking variables.…”

The Effect of Adolescent Pregnancy on Child Mortality in 46 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

“…Compared with other known risk factors, young maternal age appears to be among the strongest risk factors of child mortality. Our findings confirm and substantially expand the conclusions from previous studies about the association between early childbearing and adverse child health outcomes,2 23 24 and suggest that the increased risk to children of younger mothers continues to linger even in regions with dropping adolescent pregnancy rates such as South Asia. Even in adjusted analyses, after controlling for several risk factors, the associations between adolescent pregnancy and child survival remained similar, except for neonatal and infant mortality where the effect was reduced after adjustment for health-seeking variables.…”

Home childbirth among young mothers aged 15–24 years in Nigeria: a national population-based cross-sectional study

“…Second, considering that over 92% of respondents were married, and approximately 50% of them had at least one baby, early marriage (forced or child marriage in many instances48) could be contributing to the burden of home delivery in Nigeria. On average, 44% of girls marry before their eighteenth birthday (child marriage) in Nigeria, and the proportion could be as high as 68% in the northern parts of the country 49 50. Early marriage means early initiation into family life and childbearing with consequences for a wide range of health-related, social as well as economic challenges—gender inequality, financial dependency, increased risk of obstetric complications and so on 49 51.…”