Table 2.
Telomere length of mothers with different demographics and clinical diagnoses.
| Telomere length (T/S ratio) | Comparison# | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) | ||||
| N (%) | Yes | No | p value | |
| Demographics | ||||
| Baby sex—male | 392 (52.1%) | 14.65 (5.94) | 15.41 (6.55) | 0.100 |
| Parents being single/divorced | 58 (7.7%) | 15.28 (4.44) | 15.02 (6.42) | 0.757 |
| Mothers received education from junior secondary school or below | 89 (11.8%) | 15.45 (5.85) | 14.99 (6.30) | 0.508 |
| Mothers being full-time worker | 524 (69.6%) | 15.09 (6.31) | 14.94 (6.12) | 0.762 |
| Maternal history of risk behaviors | ||||
| Ever smoked | 88 (11.7%) | 15.28 (4.83) | 15.01 (6.42) | 0.701 |
| Ever consumed alcoholic drink | 226 (30.0%) | 15.00 (5.53) | 15.06 (6.54) | 0.902 |
| Ever engaged in drug abuse | 2 (0.3%) | 15.98 (4.66) | 15.04 (6.25) | 0.831 |
| Clinical diagnoses | ||||
| Maternal health complication during pregnancy | ||||
| Any type of maternal infection | 231 (30.7%) | 14.31 (5.14) | 15.32 (6.69) | 0.043∗ |
| Group B streptococcus carrier | 160 (21.2%) | 14.11 (4.62) | 15.25 (6.60) | 0.042∗ |
| Other types of infection (e.g., chorioamnionitis, vaginosis) | 96 (12.7%) | 14.38 (5.62) | 15.10 (6.33) | 0.292 |
| Anaemia | 226 (30.0%) | 14.93 (6.11) | 15.04 (6.31) | 0.829 |
| Hypertension | 45 (6.0%) | 14.14 (6.68) | 15.06 (6.22) | 0.345 |
| Any one of the above diagnoses | 342 (45.4%) | 15.05 (6.20) | 15.31 (6.61) | 0.638 |
| Any two of the above diagnoses | 78 (10.4%) | 13.53 (4.45) | 15.31 (6.61) | 0.005∗∗ |
| Complication at or after delivery | ||||
| Unspecific complications | 366 (48.6%) | 14.78 (5.81) | 15.25 (6.66) | 0.288 |
| Low birthweight | 39 (5.2%) | 15.16 (5.09) | 15.00 (6.31) | 0.869 |
| Neonatal jaundice | 91 (12.1%) | 14.31 (5.02) | 15.04 (6.30) | 0.419 |
| Any one of the above diagnoses | 411 (54.6%) | 14.82 (6.00) | 15.36 (6.69) | 0.265 |
| Any two of the above diagnoses | 50 (6.6%) | 14.47 (5.48) | 15.36 (6.69) | 0.375 |
| Maternal health complication × child complication | ||||
| Maternal infection x unspecific complications at delivery | 148 (19.7%) | 13.83 (4.54) | 15.30 (6.59) | 0.002∗∗ |
| Maternal infection × low birthweight | 13 (1.7%) | 13.94 (2.86) | 15.03 (6.29) | 0.534 |
| Maternal infection × neonatal jaundice | 21 (2.8%) | 12.39 (6.71) | 15.08 (6.22) | 0.045∗ |
#Comparison was conducted using independent T-test; ∗p < 0.05; ∗∗p < 0.01.