Maternal height and perinatal outcome in Mozambique.

The antenatal care program of Mozambique recommends all nulliparous women below 150 cm in height to give birth at provincial hospitals. The consequences and possible value of this recommendation were studied. A total of 1014 pregnant women were interviewed and examined at 9 different sites in 8 of the countrys provinces. Additionally all nulliparous women going through Caesarean section in Maputo the capital during a 2 1/2 month period were compared in height with 107 control mothers. Average maternal height varied considerably in the country being 159 cm at the 2 southernmost sites and 152-153 cm at sites in the north. Women below 150 cm had lost significantly more children perinatally than women = or taller than 150 cm. In Maputo short women were over-represented in the group undergoing Caesarean section for disproportion but no cut-off level for height combined high specificity with high sensitivity as regards prediction of disproportion. It is concluded that women shorter than 150 cm have an increased risk of perinatal loss the risk being particularly high at their 1st delivery. Some of the risk increase may be due to cephalopelvic disproportion. Short women need special attention during pregnancy and delivery but it is not possible to refer all primipara below 150 cm to provincial hospitals as they constitute 6% of all pregnant women in some areas. (authors)