The Association between Maternal Age During Pregnancy and the Incidence of Stunting among Children Under Five at Noebeba Public Health Center, Noebeba District, South Central Timor, 2022–2024

Wiradi Suryanegara (Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Kristen Indonesia)
Audrye Henderikha Keke Liu (Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Kristen Indonesia)
Nia Reviani (Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Kristen Indonesia)

Indonesian Journal of Advanced Research (IJAR)
Vol. 5 No. 9 (2026): September 2026

Stunting is a chronic nutritional problem caused by prolonged malnutrition and impaired linear growth. This study analyzed the relationship between maternal age and stunting among toddlers at Noebeba Community Health Center, South Central Timor, during 2022–2024. An analytical cross-sectional design was applied using secondary medical record data from 200 respondents selected through total sampling. Among 81 stunting cases, 61 occurred among mothers aged <20 or >35 years, while 20 occurred among mothers aged 20–35 years. The chi-square test showed a significant association between maternal age and stunting (p=0.001). Mothers in high-risk age groups had 6.256 times greater odds of having stunted children (95% CI: 3.320-11.791). Optimal pregnancy planning and maternal nutrition education should therefore be strengthened.