Birth weight, growth, nutritional status and mortality of infants from Lambaréné and Fougamou in Gabon in their first year of life

TY - JOUR

T1 - Birth weight, growth, nutritional status and mortality of infants from Lambaréné and Fougamou in Gabon in their first year of life

AU - Zoleko-Manego, Rella

AU - Mischlinger, Johannes

AU - Dejon-Agobé, Jean Claude

AU - Basra, Arti

AU - Mackanga, J Rodolphe

AU - Akerey Diop, Daisy

AU - Adegnika, Ayola Akim

AU - Agnandji, Selidji T

AU - Lell, Bertrand

AU - Kremsner, Peter G

AU - Matsiegui, Pierre Blaise

AU - González, Raquel

AU - Menendez, Clara

AU - Ramharter, Michael

AU - Mombo-Ngoma, Ghyslain

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - BACKGROUND: Malnutrition and low birth weight (LBW) are two common causes of morbidity and mortality among children in sub-Saharan Africa. Both malnutrition and LBW affect early childhood development with long term consequences that may vary in their degree depending on the geographical setting. This study evaluates growth, nutritional status and mortality of infants from Lambaréné and Fougamou in Gabon from a birth cohort of a malaria in pregnancy clinical trial (NCT00811421).METHOD: A prospective longitudinal birth cohort conducted between 2009 and 2012, included infants that were followed up from birth until their first-year anniversary. The exposure of interest was low birth weight and the outcomes explored were growth represented by weight gain, the nutritional status including stunting, wasting and underweight, and the mortality. Scheduled follow-up visits were at one, nine and 12 months of age. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between low birth weight and growth and nutritional outcomes, and cox regression was used for mortality.RESULT: A total of 907 live-born infants were included in the analysis. The prevalence of LBW was 13% (115). At one month of life, out of 743 infants 10% and 4% presented with stunting and underweight, respectively, while these proportions increased at 12 months of life to 17% and 21%, respectively, out of 530 infants. The proportion of infants with wasting remained constant at 7% throughout the follow-up period. Stunting and underweight were associated with LBW, adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 2.6, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.4-4.9 and aOR: 4.5, 95%CI: 2.5-8.1, respectively. Preterm birth was associated with stunting, aOR: 2.7, 95%CI: 1.2-6.3 and underweight, aOR: 5.4, 95%CI: 1.7-16.1 at one month of life. Infants with LBW were at higher hazard of death during the first year of life, adjusted hazard ratio 4.6, 95%CI: 1.2-17.0.CONCLUSION: Low birthweight infants in Gabon are at higher risks of growth and nutritional deficits and mortality during the first year of life. Tailored interventions aiming at preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes including LBW, early detection and appropriate management of growth, and nutritional deficits in infants are necessary in Gabon.

AB - BACKGROUND: Malnutrition and low birth weight (LBW) are two common causes of morbidity and mortality among children in sub-Saharan Africa. Both malnutrition and LBW affect early childhood development with long term consequences that may vary in their degree depending on the geographical setting. This study evaluates growth, nutritional status and mortality of infants from Lambaréné and Fougamou in Gabon from a birth cohort of a malaria in pregnancy clinical trial (NCT00811421).METHOD: A prospective longitudinal birth cohort conducted between 2009 and 2012, included infants that were followed up from birth until their first-year anniversary. The exposure of interest was low birth weight and the outcomes explored were growth represented by weight gain, the nutritional status including stunting, wasting and underweight, and the mortality. Scheduled follow-up visits were at one, nine and 12 months of age. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between low birth weight and growth and nutritional outcomes, and cox regression was used for mortality.RESULT: A total of 907 live-born infants were included in the analysis. The prevalence of LBW was 13% (115). At one month of life, out of 743 infants 10% and 4% presented with stunting and underweight, respectively, while these proportions increased at 12 months of life to 17% and 21%, respectively, out of 530 infants. The proportion of infants with wasting remained constant at 7% throughout the follow-up period. Stunting and underweight were associated with LBW, adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 2.6, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.4-4.9 and aOR: 4.5, 95%CI: 2.5-8.1, respectively. Preterm birth was associated with stunting, aOR: 2.7, 95%CI: 1.2-6.3 and underweight, aOR: 5.4, 95%CI: 1.7-16.1 at one month of life. Infants with LBW were at higher hazard of death during the first year of life, adjusted hazard ratio 4.6, 95%CI: 1.2-17.0.CONCLUSION: Low birthweight infants in Gabon are at higher risks of growth and nutritional deficits and mortality during the first year of life. Tailored interventions aiming at preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes including LBW, early detection and appropriate management of growth, and nutritional deficits in infants are necessary in Gabon.

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0246694

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0246694

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 33561169

VL - 16

SP - e0246694

JO - PLOS ONE

JF - PLOS ONE

SN - 1932-6203

IS - 2

ER -