Characteristics of the Family Support Network of Pregnant Adolescents and Its Association with Gestational Weight Gain and Birth Weight of Newborns

Reyna Sámano, Hugo Martínez-Rojano, Gabriela Chico-Barba, Bernarda Sánchez-Jiménez, Daniel Illescas-Zarate and Ana Lilia Rodríguez-Ventura
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Reyna Sámano: Departamento de Nutrición y Bioprogramación, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Secretaría de Salud Montes Urales 800, Miguel Hidalgo, Lomas Virreyes, Ciudad de Mexico CP. 11000, Mexico
Hugo Martínez-Rojano: Departamento de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón s/n, Colonia Casco de Santo Tomas, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo, Ciudad de Mexico CP. 11340, Mexico
Gabriela Chico-Barba: Departamento de Nutrición y Bioprogramación, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Secretaría de Salud Montes Urales 800, Miguel Hidalgo, Lomas Virreyes, Ciudad de Mexico CP. 11000, Mexico
Bernarda Sánchez-Jiménez: Subdirección de Investigación en Intervenciones Comunitarias, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Montes Urales 800, Lomas Virreyes, Alcaldía Miguel Hidalgo CP. 11000, Mexico
Daniel Illescas-Zarate: Centro de Investigación en Nutrición y Salud (CINyS) del Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública. Avenida Universidad 655, Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62100, Mexico
Ana Lilia Rodríguez-Ventura: Departamento de Nutrición y Bioprogramación, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Secretaría de Salud Montes Urales 800, Miguel Hidalgo, Lomas Virreyes, Ciudad de Mexico CP. 11000, Mexico

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 7, 1-11

Abstract: It has been proposed that, in the Mexican culture, family support can be a factor that contributes to protect the maternal and child health of pregnant adolescents. There may be complex associations between family support and the circumstances of a pregnancy during adolescence. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between the family support network (FSN) characteristic and the maternal and neonatal outcomes in Mexican adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and 352 pregnant adolescents participated; their FSN during pregnancy was assessed. The gestational weight gain and birth weight/length of newborns were registered. The size of the FSN was described and divided into quartiles; the main members for each quartile were identified. Then, sociodemographic and clinical variables were compared by FSN quartiles. Logistic regression models were performed to assess the association of FSN size and pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. Our results indicate that the mean age was 15 ± 1 year old. The primary support member in the FSN was the mother of the adolescent in each quartile, except for quartile 3, where the primary support was the mother-in-law. In quartile 3 there was a significantly lower gestational weight gain compared to quartile 4 (11.8 ± 5 vs. 13 ± 5 kg, p = 0.054). According to the regression model, a higher risk of small for gestational age (OR 2.99, CI 95% 1.25–7.15) newborns was found in quartile 3. We conclude that the maternal and neonatal outcomes did not differ between quartiles of FSN size, except for quartile 3. Small for gestational age newborns were observed when a non-blood relative was present in the FSN. The quality rather than the network size might be more important for improving pregnancy outcomes.

Keywords: adolescent pregnancy; family support network; birth weight; gestational weight gain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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