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Associations between Antenatal Care Visit Attendance and Infant Mortality and Growth

Aimee J Lansdale1, Mamadou Bountogo2, Ali Sie2

  • 1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
|April 16, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Antenatal care (ANC) visits did not significantly impact infant mortality but were linked to better infant growth outcomes. Each additional ANC visit correlated with modest but statistically significant improvements in weight, length, and various growth indicators by six months.

Area of Science:

  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Global Health
  • Pediatric Nutrition

Background:

  • Antenatal care (ANC) is crucial for maternal and infant well-being.
  • Understanding the impact of ANC attendance on infant mortality and growth is vital for public health interventions.
  • Previous studies show mixed results on ANC's effect on infant outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between antenatal care (ANC) attendance and infant mortality and growth outcomes.
  • To assess the relationship between the number of ANC visits and infant mortality and anthropometric measurements at 6 months of age.
  • To investigate these associations within the context of a large trial in Burkina Faso.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Nouveux-nés et Azithromycine: une Innovation dans le Traitement des Enfants (NAITRE) trial.
  • Included 21,795 neonates followed up to 6 months of age, with available ANC data.
  • Employed logistic and linear regression models, adjusting for multiple confounders like infant sex, maternal age, education, and geographic region.

Main Results:

  • No significant association was found between ANC visits and 6-month infant mortality.
  • Higher ANC attendance was significantly associated with improved infant growth parameters at 6 months.
  • Each additional ANC visit correlated with statistically significant increases in mean weight, length, and Z-scores for mid-upper-arm circumference, height-for-age, and weight-for-age.

Conclusions:

  • ANC attendance appears to positively influence infant growth but not mortality by 6 months.
  • The observed growth improvements, while statistically significant, may not be clinically substantial.
  • Further research is needed to understand the long-term health implications of ANC attendance on infant development.

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