Children of Young Mothers have Higher Risk of Early Death

Kids born to younger mothers have higher risk of dying early than kids born to older mothers, a new study from the U.K. reported.

The study was based on data from England, Scotland and Wales. Researchers looked at death registries data from 1980 through 2010, BBC reported.

Researchers found that 11 percent of all childhood deaths were from children of mothers falling into the age group of 30-34.

The research was commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership and was led by the Institute of Child Health at UCL.

Previous studies have shown that older mothers actually provide a better start for their kids. Older mothers are generally better educated, have a stable income and are married.

"The report also reveals that children born with the same birth weight were more likely to die if they were born to mothers aged less than 30 years than those with mothers aged 30 to 34 years," Professor Ruth Gilbert, clinical lead for the research, told The Australian.com."Young maternal age does not cause child deaths but is associated with factors which increase health risks for children.

Experts found that at least 22 percent of all child deaths belonging to mothers of the age-group were due to unexplained causes, BBC reported.

The study also found that kids in the U.K. were more likely to die of unintentional injuries, but the rate of death has come down in the recent past.

However, the number of deaths due to self-harm or intentional injuries hasn't declined - a trend that's worrying experts.

"Injuries remain the biggest cause of child deaths but are declining, so we need to continue to build upon public policy interventions such as traffic calming. Dr Hilary Cass, president of the royal college told BBC News. "The lack of decline in intentional injuries calls for a concerted focus on reducing violence and self-harm in older children."