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Akseer N, Keats EC, Thurairajah P, Cousens S, Bétran AP, Oaks BM, Osrin D, Piwoz E, Gomo E, Ahmed F, Friis H, Belizán J, Dewey K, West K, Huybregts L, Zeng L, Dibley MJ, Zagre N, Christian P, Kolsteren PW, Kaestel P, Black RE, El Arifeen S, Ashorn U, Fawzi W, Bhutta ZA. Characteristics and birth outcomes of pregnant adolescents compared to older women: An analysis of individual level data from 140,000 mothers from 20 RCTs. EClinicalMedicine 2022; 45:101309. [PMID: 35243274 PMCID: PMC8885463 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescence is a critical period of maturation when nutrient needs are high, especially among adolescents entering pregnancy. Using individual-level data from 140,000 participants, we examined socioeconomic, nutrition, and pregnancy and birth outcomes for adolescent mothers (10-19 years) compared to older mothers in low and middle-income countries. METHODS This study was conducted between March 16, 2018 and May 25, 2021. Data were obtained from 20 randomised controlled trials of micronutrient supplementation in pregnancy. Stratified analyses were conducted by age (10-14 years, 15-17 years, 18-19 years, 20-29 years, 30-39 years, 40+ years) and geographical region (Africa, Asia). Crude and confounder-adjusted means, prevalence and relative risks of pregnancy, nutrition and birth outcomes were estimated using multivariable linear and log-binomial regression models with 95% confidence intervals. FINDINGS Adolescent mothers comprised 31.6% of our data. Preterm birth, small-for-gestational age (SGA), low birthweight (LBW) and newborn mortality followed a U-shaped trend in which prevalence was highest among the youngest mothers (10-14 years) and then reduced gradually, but increased again for older mothers (40+ years). When compared to mothers aged 20-29 years, there was a 23% increased risk of preterm birth, a 60% increased risk of perinatal mortality, a 63% increased risk of neonatal mortality, a 28% increased risk of LBW, and a 22% increased risk of SGA among mothers 10-14 years. Mothers 40+ years experienced a 22% increased risk of preterm birth and a 103% increased risk of stillbirth when compared to the 20-29 year group. INTERPRETATION The youngest and oldest mothers suffer most from adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. Policy and programming agendas should consider both biological and socioeconomic/environmental factors when targeting these populations. FUNDING Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Grant No: OP1137750).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Akseer
- Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Emily Catherine Keats
- Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Pravheen Thurairajah
- Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Simon Cousens
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - David Osrin
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Ellen Piwoz
- The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Keith West
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States
| | | | - Lingxia Zeng
- School of Public Health, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Centre, China
| | | | - Noel Zagre
- UNICEF Regional Office for West and Central Africa, Senegal
| | - Parul Christian
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States
| | | | | | - Robert E. Black
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States
| | | | - Ulla Ashorn
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Finland
| | - Wafaie Fawzi
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, United States
| | - Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta
- Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Institute for Global Health and Development, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
- Corresponding author at: Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada.
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