RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A HISTORY OF CHRONIC ENERGY DEFICIENCY DURING PREGNANCY AND THE OCCURRENCE OF STUNTING IN INFANTS AGED 6-24 MONTHS IN ACEH BESAR DISTRICT

Abstract

The first two years of life are a critical period characterized by rapid growth and development. One of the
consequences of malnutrition during this period is stunting. There are several factors suspected to
contribute to stunting in infants, and one of them is Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED), where pregnant
women with CED lack adequate nutrient reserves for their fetus, leading to impaired growth and
development and ultimately resulting in stunting. This study aims to determine the association between a
history of CED during pregnancy and the occurrence of stunting in infants aged 6-24 months in Aceh Besar
District . This study employed an observational research design with a case-control approach. The
population consisted of mothers with infants aged 6-24 months. The sample size comprised 302 individuals
(151 cases and 151 controls), and logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the data. The
results of the bivariate analysis showed a significant association between CED (p=0.0001), Maternal Body
Mass Index (BMI) (p=0.0001), premature birth (p=0.001), Low Birth Weight (LBW) (p=0.0001), and birth
length (p=0.0001) with the occurrence of stunting. However, there was no association between maternal
age, maternal education, maternal occupation, family income, and the occurrence of stunting. The
multivariate analysis revealed that CED was the most dominant predictor of stunting (OR=18.31; 95% CI:
9.73-34.45) with a p-value of 0.0001. In conclusion, there is a significant association between CED and
the occurrence of stunting, and CED during pregnancy is the most influential risk factor. Therefore, it is
crucial to monitor and implement preventive and management programs for stunting in Aceh Besar Distric