Morbidity and outcome of low birthweight babies of adolescent mothers at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the morbidity and outcome of low birthweight babies (birthweight < 2000 gm) of adolescent (age < 20 years) and older mothers.


METHODS
Cross sectional descriptive study.


METHODS
The newborn Unit of the Kenyatta National Hospital.


METHODS
All babies weighing less than 2000 gm at birth whose mothers consented to the study had their gestational age verified using the Dubowitz scoring system. They were then followed up by daily clinical assessment until discharge, death or up to one month in the ward. The babies were divided into two groups according to their mother's age and then compared with respect to episodes of illness, duration of hospital stay, and overall outcome.


RESULTS
One hundred and forty two babies were studied. Of these, 64 were born to adolescent mothers. Babies of the adolescent mothers tended to be more premature (p = 0.0174), be lower in weight (p = 0.0078), had more occurrences of respiratory distress and anaemia (probably reflecting their increased prematurity) and had frequent multiple morbidity events They also had longer hospital stay and they were more likely to die (57.7% compared to 42.3% of babies of older mothers).


CONCLUSIONS
Low birthweight babies of the adolescent mothers were found to be more likely to have increased morbidity and adverse outcome compared to similar babies of older mothers.
Wasunna
A
A
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 19676, Nairobi, Kenya.
Mohammed
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008423:Maternal Age; D009017:Morbidity; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors