EARLY WEIGHT GAIN OF INFANTS BORN TO ADOLESCENT MOTHERS

Background: Adolescent pregnancy is frequent in Chile, and their infants could present an increased risk of inadequate breast feeding and weight gain. Objectives: To assess the early weight gain in infants born to Chilean adolescent mothers and their association with breast feeding, risk of jaundice and hospitalization. Subjects and methods: Forty full-term and adequate for gestational age newborns (SG; M/F : 27113), born to healthy adolescent mothers (less than < 19 y at delivery) (SG) from low socioeconomic groups, were recruited in a public hospital in Santiago, Chile. They were paired with 36 born to healthy primiparous adult mothers (control group CG; M/F:19/17); those born with low birth weight or congenital malformations were excluded. They were assessed at well baby clinics in primary care centers for weight, length, (median age: 8 and 30 d.; breast feeding, jaundice and hospitalization were registered). Results: No significant differences were found in weight gain at 8th day of age (SG: -1,5 g/d (-107 to +36); CG -5,7 g/d (-59 to +39) (NS), both lower than the weight increments of WHO standards (14-21 g/d); birth weight recovery was found in SG: 52%% and CG: 44% (NS). Neither a difference was found at 30 days (SG: 31g/d (-1.7 to +79), CG: 28 g/d (-3 to 63); (NS), comparable to WHO standards (males: 34 g/d; females: 29 g/d). However, the sub-group of infants born to adolescent mothers 15-16 y. presented a greater weight gain than those to adolescents mothers 16-17 y. (38 g/d (9 to 79 vs 25 g/d ,-1,7 to + 57) than the CG (p<0.02). Formula breast feeding was provided to 8/40 in SG and 10/36 in CG (NS). No differences in jaundice was found at the 3rd day, but an increased rate was observed at the 8th day (SG 13/40 vs CG2/36) (OR 8.2; CI: 1.7-39; p=0.003), without an increased risk of hospitalization. Conclusions: Infants born to Chilean adolescent mothers have a comparable weight gain to infants born to adult mothers, with a comparable time of birth weight recovery. Those born to mothers 15-16 years of age had a greater weight gain than those born to mothers 17-18 years or adult mothers. Jaundice to the 8 degrees day was greater in the SG with no increased rate of hospitalization. They present a good rate of breast feeding.