Peer-reviewed article
Determinants of Stunting among Children with Teenage Mothers: Evidence from Indonesia.
Mohamad Yoto, Shrimarti Rukmini Devy, Agung Dwi Laksono, Septa Indra Puspikawati, Tika Noor Prastia et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined 1,946 children aged 0-23 months born to teenage mothers in Indonesia to identify factors associated with stunting. Eight factors were found to be significantly associated with stunting risk, including maternal education, prenatal care attendance, maternal employment, socioeconomic status, child age and gender, residence type, and maternal marital status. Children aged 12-23 months and boys were at substantially higher risk of stunting. Prenatal class attendance was protective, reducing stunting risk by 32 percent.
Key points
- Children not attending prenatal classes with their mothers were 1.47 times more likely to be stunted than those attending classes
- Children aged 12-23 months were 3.74 times more likely to be stunted than younger children
- Boys were 1.73 times more likely to experience stunting than girls
- Children in urban areas had higher stunting risk than rural children (AOR 1.063)
- Maternal unemployment increased stunting risk by 1.048 times compared to employed mothers
Limitations
The study is observational and cannot establish causation, only associations. The findings are specific to children of teenage mothers in Indonesia and may not generalise to other populations or contexts.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Stunting brings many losses to children. This situation becomes even more severe when it occurs in children who are teenage mothers. The study analyzes determinants of stunting among children with teenage mothers in Indonesia. METHODS: The study examined 1,946 children (0-23 months old). The study analyzed nutritional status, residence, maternal factors (no education, primary education, secondary education, marriage, employment, socioeconomic, prenatal class), and child characteristics (age and gender). RESULTS: Children in urban areas were 1.063 times more likely to experience stunting than those in rural areas [adjusted odd ratio (AOR): 1.063; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.040-1.086]. Children with mothers at all education levels were likelier than mothers in secondary education to experience stunting. Children with divorced/widowed mothers were 0.808 times less likely to experience stunting than married mothers (AOR: 0.808; 95% CI: 0.768-0.851). Children with unemployed mothers were 1.048 times more likely than employed mothers to experience stunting (AOR: 1.048; 95% CI: 1.018-1.079). Children of all socioeconomic levels were likelier than the richest to experience stunting. Children with mothers not attending prenatal classes were 1.472 times more likely to experience stunting than those attending prenatal classes (AOR: 1.472; 95% CI: 1.434-1.512). Children 12-23 months were 3.739 times more likely than <12 months to experience stunting (3.739; 95% CI: 3.658-3.821). Boys were 1.727 times more likely than girls to experience stunting (AOR: 1.727; 95% CI: 1.691-1.764). CONCLUSION: The study concluded eight variables associated with stunting among children with teenage mothers in Indonesia: residence, maternal education, maternal marital status, maternal employment, socioeconomic, prenatal classes, children's age, and children's gender.