EFFECT OF MATERNAL AGE ON BIRTH OUTCOMES AMONG YOUNG ADOLESCENTS

This study examined the effect of maternal age on birth outcomes among young adolescents, ages 10 through 15. All records representing singl e births of primipara, Black or White adolescents, were selected for a nalysis from the 1983-1986 National Center for Health Statistics' Publ ic Use Linked Live Birth-Infant Death Data File (n=127,668). Logistic regression analyses controlled for effects of maternal race, marital s tatus, prenatal care, gravidity, education, and metropolitan/nonmetrop olitan residency. Univariate analyses indicated that the youngest adol escents were at greatest risk for negative birth outcomes including ve ry preterm and preterm delivery, low birth weight, small for gestation al age (SGA), and neonatal mortality. Logistic analyses showed similar results, with the exception that differences in SGA were insignifican t. This study indicates the importance of examining age-specific birth outcomes among a population that has traditionally been studied in ag gregate and underscores the need for increased prevention efforts.