Table 1.
Description of Maternal Demographic Characteristics, Psychosocial Stressors, and Infant Birth Outcomes, by Site
| Variable | Mbekweni n (%) | TC Newman n (%) | Total n (%) | p‐Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maternal demographic characteristics (n = 986) | ||||
| Number of mothers | 531 (53.85) | 511 (46.15) | 986 (100.00) | |
| Median age (IQR) | 26.75 (22.27; 31.66) | 24.82 (21.34; 29.15) | 25.75 (21.96; 30.78) | <0.001 |
| Ancestry | ||||
| African | 524 (98.87) | 6 (1.13) | 529 (53.71) | |
| Mixed ancestry | 5 (1.10) | 450 (98.90) | 456 (46.29) | <0.001 |
| Educational attainment | ||||
| Primary | 46 (8.66) | 35 (7.69) | 81 (8.22) | |
| Some secondary | 292 (54.99) | 236 (51.87) | 528 (53.55) | |
| Completed secondary | 157 (29.57) | 164 (36.04) | 321 (32.56) | |
| Any tertiary | 36 (6.78) | 20 (4.40) | 56 (5.68) | 0.096 |
| Unemployed | 407 (76.65) | 320 (70.33) | 727 (73.73) | 0.025 |
| Average household income | ||||
| <R1,000/month | 235 (44.26) | 147 (32.31) | 382 (38.74) | |
| R1,000 to R5,000/month | 241 (45.39) | 227 (49.89) | 468 (47.46) | |
| >R5,000/month | 55 (10.36) | 81 (17.80) | 136 (13.79) | <0.001 |
| HIV‐seropositive | 196 (36.91) | 16 (3.52) | 212 (21.50) | <0.001 |
| Median maternal BMI (IQR) | 28.33 (24.61; 33.47) | 25.82 (22.48; 29.84) | 27.14 (23.63; 32.11) | <0.001 |
| Parity | ||||
| 1 child | 204 (58.29) | 152 (57.36) | 356 (57.89) | |
| 2 children | 102 (29.14) | 74 (27.92) | 176 (28.62) | 0.572 |
| 3 or more children | 44 (12.57) | 39 (14.72) | 83 (12.77) | |
| Maternal psychosocial stressors (n = 986) | ||||
| Exposure to childhood trauma | 153 (28.81) | 188 (41.32) | 341 (34.58) | <0.001 |
| Median number of stressful life events (IQR) | 1 (0; 2) | 2 (1; 4) | 1 (0; 3) | <0.001 |
| Antenatal depression—screened positive | 101 (19.02) | 126 (27.69) | 227 (23.02) | 0.001 |
| Recent intimate partner violence | 149 (28.06) | 184 (40.44) | 333 (33.77) | <0.001 |
| Hazardous alcohol use | 43 (8.10) | 88 (19.34) | 131 (13.29) | <0.001 |
| Hazardous tobacco use | 29 (5.46) | 250 (54.95) | 279 (28.30) | <0.001 |
| Hazardous drug use | 3 (0.56) | 29 (6.37) | 32 (3.25) | <0.001 |
| Infant birth outcomes (n = 986) | ||||
| Sex (female) | 270 (50.85) | 206 (45.27) | 476 (48.28) | 0.081 |
| Median gestation at delivery (IQR) | 39 (38; 40) | 39 (37; 40) | 39 (37; 40) | 0.126 |
| Preterm birth (<37 weeks of gestation) | 119 (22.41) | 118 (25.93) | 237 (24.04) | 0.197 |
| Median birthweight in grams (IQR) | 3170 (2830; 3455) | 3000 (2630; 3350) | 3090 (2720; 3410) | <0.001 |
| Low birthweight (<2.5 kg) | 58 (10.92) | 87 (19.12) | 145 (14.71) | 0.001 |
| Small for gestational age | 122 (23.11) | 127 (27.91) | 249 (25.33) | 0.014 |
| Median WAZ (IQR) | −0.43 (−1.23; 0.24) | −0.71 (−1.36; −0.07) | −0.55 (−1.31; 0.07) | <0.001 |
| Median HCZ (IQR) (n = 974) | −0.42 (−1.24; 0.41) | −0.61 (−1.34; 0.15) | −0.54 (−1.29; 0.15) | <0.001 |
| Median HAZ (IQR) (n = 970) | 0.09 (−0.82; 1.01) | −0.03 (−0.87; 0.82) | 0.03 (−0.86; 0.93) | 0.060 |