The low birth-weight infants of Saudi adolescents: maternal implications.

ABSTRACT

PIP: From 1981-1985, researchers studies pregnancy outcomes of 206 female adolescents (= or 17 years old at the time of 1st hospital visit) at King Fahd Hospital in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. 23% of all infants born to adolescents were classified as low birth weight (= or 2500g). 17.4% of these mothers were 15 years old or younger, 39.1% were 16, and 43.5% were 17. For mothers who delivered an infant 2500g, 17.5% were 15, 26.9% were 16, and 55.6% were 17. Mothers who had low birth weight infants (mean weight 53.48k) tended to weigh less at time of delivery than those who had infants 2500g (61.89kg; p.005). Further, the stature of 31.1% of those in the low birth weight group was 150cm whereas only 13.5% of the remaining mothers were 150cm. 64% of mothers who had low birth weight infants delivered before 37 weeks gestation (p.005). Anemia (Hb10.6g/dl) was the most significant complication contributing to low birth weight (38.6%; p.005). This suggests that many adolescent mothers did not take iron and vitamin supplements and that they did not take iron and vitamin supplements and that they did not eat adequately during pregnancy. Even though toxemia also contributed significantly to low birth weight (9%; p.05), its overall prevalence was markedly low (1.9% in 2500g group). The mode of delivery did not affect birth weight. Perinatal mortality for low birth weight infants stood at 14.6%. None of the .2500g infants died. All adolescent mothers should receive early prenatal care. In addition, more health education of health professionals and adolescents is needed to stress the importance of regular prenatal care, liberal hospitalization, intensive antepartum and intrapartum fetal monitoring.