Adolescent Pregnancy Risks in a City of Average Size in Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Pregnancy in adolescence is a frequent public health problem worldwide, because it is associated with increased clinical and social complications affecting both mothers and newborn/infants. Materials and Method:An analytical prospective study was conducted, comparing 200 pregnant women followedup during pre-natal care in the city of Cruz das Almas-Bahia-Brazil, in the period between November, 2009 and October, 2010. Women were divided into two groups: adolescents (between 10 and 19 years old) and adults (between 20 and 36 years old). The following socio-demographic variables were analyzed: self-declared color, educational level, marital status, family income. The maternal clinical variables evaluated were: parity, gestational age, gynecological age, weight, height, number of pre-natal consultations, weight gain during pregnancy, mode of birth and complications at birth. The clinical variables described for the newborn were: prematurity, birth weight, Apgar Score in first and fifth minute post-birth. Results:The socio-economic characteristics differed between the groups. Among adolescent group, there were more single women; family income was lower; first sexual intercourse took place earlier than adult group. There was no difference in maternal and newborn clinical outcomes between the groups, with exception of birth weight, which was lower in adolescent group than adult group. Conclusion:Pregnancy in adolescence is associated with greater social vulnerability, and not with biologic risk when compared with pregnancy at adult age.General Context: The results founded herein demonstrated that pregnancy in adolescence was not associated with unfavorable perinatal or obstetric results, but was associated with greater social vulnerability when compared with those of adult pregnant women. Journal of Pregnancy and Child Health