Maternal age and birth outcomes: data from New Jersey

Area of Science:

• Perinatal epidemiology
• Public health
• Maternal-child health

Background:

• Maternal age is a known factor influencing pregnancy outcomes.
• Previous studies suggest varied risks associated with adolescent and advanced maternal age.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between maternal age and low birth weight, infant mortality, and neonatal hospitalization costs.
• To differentiate the effects of young maternal age from socioeconomic factors on birth outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Linked vital statistics and hospital discharge records from New Jersey (1989-1990).
• Multivariate analyses were used to assess the effects of maternal age on birth outcomes, controlling for other factors.

Main Results:

• A U-shaped risk for low birth weight (LBW) was observed in white mothers concerning maternal age (youngest and oldest at higher risk).
• Black adolescent mothers (15-19) had lower LBW risk compared to black women aged 25-29.
• Mothers in their 30s, of both races, had a higher likelihood of delivering LBW infants.
• Newborn hospitalization costs increased with maternal age for both racial groups.
• Adverse socioeconomic circumstances, not young maternal age per se, appeared to explain poorer outcomes for teenage mothers.

Conclusions:

• Maternal age exhibits a complex, non-linear association with birth outcomes, varying by race.
• Socioeconomic factors play a critical role in the birth outcomes of adolescent mothers.
• Healthcare strategies should consider socioeconomic support alongside age-related risks in perinatal care.