Determinants of low birth weight in the children of adolescent mothers: A hierarchical analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the determinants of low birth weight (LBW) amongst children of adolescent mothers through a hierarchical approach in a cross-sectional study of 751 adolescents attended at a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro. Sociodemographic data, prenatal care, and biological and maternal obstetric conditions were analyzed. Possible determinants of LBW were identified in the bivariate analysis and then hierarchical logistic regression models were tested, considering as taggered hierarchy of distal, intermediate, and proximal levels. Variables with p < 0.05 at each level of analysis were kept in the model, and the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated. The prevalence of low birth weight was 10%. The determinants of LBW were: distal level – non-ac-ceptance of pregnancy (OR = 10.19, 95% CI = 1.09 to 39.53); intermediate level – having fewer than six prenatal consultations (OR = 4.29; 95% CI = 1.55 to 11.83) and not having standardized nutritional care (OR = 3.18; 95% CI = 1.18 to 8.55); and proximal level – preterm delivery (OR = 10.19, 95% CI = 2.12 to 49.01). The determinants of LBW were maternal characteristics, prenatal care, and birth conditions, which contain certain modifiable social characteristics.