teenage pregnancy age and stunting incidence among children aged 12-24 months: a case-control in jember, indonesian

Background: stunting is a global health issue, including in indonesia. one of the main risk factors for stunting is teenage pregnancy resulting from early marriage, which is still common in jember. pregnancy during adolescence poses a risk of fetal growth disorders due to physical and psychological unpreparedness for pregnancy and childbirth. this study aims to analyze the relationship between teenage pregnancy and the incidence of stunting in children aged 12-24 months within families in jember regency.materials and methods: this study used a retrospective design with a case-control approach. the study population consisted of toddlers aged 12-24 months. a sample of 201 participants was recruited, with 69 toddlers in the case group (stunted) and 69 in the control group (not stunted). data were collected using a questionnaire to determine the mother’s age at pregnancy and by measuring the toddlers’ height and weight using a length board. data were analyzed using the chi-square test. results: the incidence of stunting was higher among mothers who were ≤18 years old during pregnancy (56.52%) compared to those who were >18 years old (43.48%). the analysis showed a significant relationship between adolescent gestational age and the incidence of stunting (χ2 = 11.795, p-value = 0.001). the odds ratio (or) was 3.379, indicating that teenage pregnancy carries a 3.4 times higher risk for stunting compared to adult pregnancy.conclusion: adolescent pregnancy is a significant risk factor for stunting that requires intervention at the family level. interventions should include reproductive health education, prevention of early marriage, and ensuring adequate nutrition for pregnant women.