An Investigation into the Relationship between Maternal Age and Some Indices of Foetal Nutrition in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria

It has been observed that the amount of maternal serum and cord blood glucose influence foetal weight and well-being. This study reports the effect of maternal age on maternal serum/cord blood glucose and birth weight at term. One hundred and sixty eight (168) consenting pregnant subjects between 15 and 45 years, and who were in the late trimester period were randomly recruited from the Ante-Natal Clinic, Central Hospital, Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. Cases of ill-health, pregnancy complications and disease conditions associated with pregnancy were excluded. One hundred and eighty four (184) weight and age-matched, non-pregnant women in apparent good health were randomly recruited from the hospital community as control subjects. The results show that younger (15-19 years) and older (40-45 years) pregnant women had lower mean blood glucose (4.42±1.31 mmol/L vs 3.52+1.49mmol/L; p>0.05), and this was associated with lower neonatal cord blood glucose (3.28±0.98 vs 2.81±0.79 mmol/L, p<0.05) and birth weight (3.28±0.77kg vs 3.10±0.63kg, p>0.05) at term. Mean maternal serum glucose of the pregnant women between 20-39 years was 4.65±1.39 mmol/L. The mean cord blood glucose and mean birth weight of their neonates at term were 3.51±1.16 mmol/L and 3.48±0.70 kg, respectively. Maternal age affects blood glucose and foetal weight. Special prenatal care should be given to pregnant women between 15-19 and 40-45 years in Nigeria, in order to minimize or if possible, eliminate the medical complications associated with low birth weight at term.