The association of maternal age with infant mortality, child anthropometric failure, diarrhoea and anaemia for first births: evidence from 55 low- and middle-income countries

Abstract

ObjectiveTo examine the association between maternal age at first birth and infant mortality, stunting, underweight, wasting, diarrhoea and anaemia in children in low- and middle-income countries.DesignCross-sectional analysis of nationally representative household samples. A modified Poisson regression model is used to estimate unadjusted and adjusted RR ratios.SettingLow- and middle-income countries.PopulationFirst births to women aged 12–35 where this birth occurred 12–60 months prior to interview. The sample for analysing infant mortality is comprised of 176 583 children in 55 low- and middle-income countries across 118 Demographic and Health Surveys conducted between 1990 and 2008.Main outcome measuresInfant mortality in children under 12 months and stunting, underweight, wasting, diarrhoea and anaemia in children under 5 years.ResultsThe investigation reveals two salient findings. First, in the sample of women who had their first birth between the ages of 12 and 35, the risk of poor child health outcome is lowest for women who have their first birth between the ages of 27 and 29. Second, the results indicate that both biological and social mechanisms play a role in explaining why children of young mothers have poorer outcomes.ConclusionsThe first-born children of adolescent mothers are the most vulnerable to infant mortality and poor child health outcomes. Additionally, first time mothers up to the age of 27 have a higher risk of having a child who has stunting, diarrhoea and moderate or severe anaemia. Maternal and child health programs should take account of this increased risk even for mothers in their early 20s. Increasing the age at first birth in developing countries may have large benefits in terms of child health.

Prevalence and hospitalization rates due to diarrhoea in infants: the 2006 Brazilian National Demographic Health Survey

“…Additionally, this association may be explained by the improvement in childcare that accompanies advanced age due to previous experiences. [27,35,36] Hospitalizations due to diarrhea should be rare because this is a self-limiting and easily handled disease. Simple care, such as oral rehydration therapy (ORT), is efficient in preventing worsening of cases and, consequently, in preventing a need for hospitalization.…”

Trends in the age at reproductive transitions in the developing world: The role of education

“…On average, the younger the age of a woman at marriage, the larger the age difference between spouses, the less agency women are reported to have within marriage, and the higher the likelihood of marital dissolution (Singh and Samara 1996;Mensch 2005). And finally, early childbirth, before achieving full physical maturity around age 16, is associated with a higher likelihood of maternal death (Blanc et al 2013;Nove et al 2014), infant death, and other poor child health outcomes (Finlay et al 2011). Moreover, the timing of births has an effect on population growth.…”

Factors associated with non-vaccination against measles in northeastern Brazil: Clues about causes of the 2015 outbreak

“…Undernourished children suffering from measles are subject to a more severe clinical presentation of measles, with high probability of respiratory complications, such as pneumonia, and severe neurological sequelae [1]. Teenage mothers, especially those aged under 18 years, tend to represent a high-risk for the child, as they have more difficulty adhering to preventive measures [17] such as vaccination programs [18], and may also experience greater limitation in their ability to provide appropriate care for a sick child [17,19]; especially as measles is a disease that often presents complications when not managed properly [1].…”