Exploring the influence of maternal and birth history on stunting in children under 5 years in Indonesia: evidence from the Indonesia Family Life Survey

Background Indonesian children under the age of five are at risk of becoming stunted or severely stunted. Despite efforts to reduce stunting through improved nutrition, the condition persists, leading to long-term consequences such as impaired cognition and increased risk of chronic diseases. Objective To explore maternal factors and childbirth history for stunting and severe stunting in children aged 6-59 months in Indonesia. Methods This cross-sectional study used data from the 2014-2015 Indonesia Family Life Survey 5 (IFLS-5) to compare birth history (gender, gestational age, birth weight, birth order) and maternal factors (age at childbirth, employment, marital status, education, iron supplementation, antenatal care, height, smoking, pregnancy complications, exclusive breastfeeding, and duration) between stunting and non-stunting children. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression were applied on data related to maternal factors and childbirth history from 2,701 children aged 6-59 months. Results We found a significant risk of stunting in children aged 12–23 months (P=0.002) and 48–60 months (P=0.031), maternal age at birth ≤20 years (P=0.025), maternal short stature (P<0.001), breastfeeding duration of 12–23 months (P<0.001) and >24 months (P<0.001), low birth weight (P=0.003), and being the second born or later (P=0.044). Meanwhile, a high maternal educational level (P=0.008) and sufficient iron supplementation during pregnancy (P=0.013) were associated with a reduced incidence of stunting or severe stunting. Conclusion Maternal factors and birth history have a significant impact on the occurrence of stunting and severe stunting in Indonesian children. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions addressing maternal and early-life factors to reduce the prevalence of stunting and severe stunting in Indonesia.