ASSOCIATION OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY WITH LOW BIRTH WEIGHT OF NEONATES: TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS BASED CASE CONTROL STUDY IN PESHAWAR

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between teenage pregnancy and low birth weight (LBW) of neonates in hospital setting at Peshawar, Pakistan. METHODS: This case control study was conducted between July and December 2014 at Neonatal Care units of Khyber Teaching Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar. Birth weight (BW) of the newborn was measured. Cases (neonates with BW 2.5 kg) and controls (neonates with BW 2.5kg) were matched for socio-economic status. Data was collected by interviewing, using semi-structured questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the association between teenage pregnancy and LBW after adjustment for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: Out of 330 newborns (110 cases and 220 controls) analyzed, 219 (66.4%) were males. Mean BW of newborn was 2.64±0.67 kg and gestational age was 37.29±3.7 weeks. Out of 110 LBW newborn, 84 (76%) were premature and 26 (23.6) were full term with LBW (Intrauterine growth restriction- IUGR). In controls, 216 (98.2) were full term with normal BW. Overall 26/330 (7.9%) newborns were with LBW/ IUGR. Teenage pregnancy was found in mothers of 38 (34.5%) cases and 56 (25.5%) controls. Antenatal care was received by 88% of mothers and 63% were uneducated. Prematurity and IUGR were associated with LBW (p= 0.001) but this was not significant after adjustment for potential confounders. Overall, there was no significant association between teenage pregnancy and LBW (Adjusted O.R: 9.03, p-value = 0.164). CONCLUSION: LBW was mainly due to prematurity. However, our study could not establish association of LBW with young maternal age