Pregnancy in girls under 14 years old: Spatial analysis in Brazil, 2011-2021

Abstract

The objective was to analyze the spatial distribution of pregnancy in children under 14 years and six months by Brazilian region and municipality and sociodemographic and health characteristics of pregnant women and live births. Ecological study analyzing the Live Birth Information System (SINASC) from 2011 to 2021 in three age groups (< 14 years and six months, 15-19 years, and 20 years and above) by demographic and birth variables. We applied the Global and Local Moran. A total of 127,022 live births to girls aged 10-14 years were identified during the period, most of whom were Black, 21.1% in common-law or married relationships, with a lower proportion of seven prenatal care appointments and enrollment in the first trimester, a higher proportion of low birth weight and low Apgar score, residing in the North and Northeast. The mean live birth rate for 10-to-14-year-old girls was significantly autocorrelated with space, especially in municipalities of the Midwest and North. Pregnancy from 10 to 14 years of age reveals several vulnerabilities suffered by these girls due to pregnancy at an early age, which is more common among Black women, with implications for morbimortality for them and their children and the presumed violence in these cases, including denied access to legal abortion.