The effect of age at first marriage on the incidence of labor complications and babies with low birth weight in Indonesia

Abstract

Purpose This study investigated the effect of a woman's age at first marriage (AFM) on the incidence of labor complications and babies with low birth weight (LBW). Methods This study used data from the 2017 Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS) on women aged 15~49 who gave birth to their first child within the previous 5 years. Data analysis was conducted using binary logistic regression for labor complications and the binomial probit method for the incidence of LBW. Results The analysis showed that AFM affected the likelihood of childbirth complications and LBW babies. An increase in AFM tended to reduce the risk of childbirth complications, although poor economic conditions increased the risk of complications in mothers with a higher AFM. In addition, a low or high AFM increased the chances of delivering a baby with LBW. Conclusion A low AFM was associated with an increased likelihood of women experiencing birth complications when delivering their first child and delivering babies with LBW, underscoring the importance of delaying childbirth until a more mature age.

Keywords

• labor complications
• low birth weight
• marriage