Pregnancy in adolescence in Brazil: associated factors with maternal age

Thamara De Souza Campos Assis,Katrini Guidolini Martinelli,Edson Theodoro Dos Santos Neto,Silvana Granado Nogueira Da Gama

doi:10.1590/1806-93042021000400006

Thamara De Souza Campos Assis, Katrini Guidolini Martinelli + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-93042021000400006

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Abstract

Abstract Objectives: describing maternal characteristics, risk behavior, obstetric data, prenatal care and childbirth in adolescent mothers in Brazil (age groups: 12-16 years and 17-19 years). Methods: hospital-based cross-sectional study substantiated by Nascer no Brasil”, (Born in Brazil) data. The study encompassed puerperal adolescent mothers from all regions in the country, and their newborns. Chi-square test was used to compare adolescents in the 12-16 years old age group and those in the 17-19 years old age group. Results: pregnant women in the 12-16 years old age group mostly lived in the Northeast of Brazil (p=0.014); most of them did not have a partner (p<0.001), unplanned pregnancy (p<0.001), they had inadequate schooling for their age (p=0.033), had less than six prenatal consultations (p=0.021), were subjected to episiotomy (p=0.042) and accounted for the largest number of premature babies (p=0.014). Conclusions: puerperal women in the 12-16 years old age group presented vulnerability in their socioeconomic conditions, inadequate assistance at the prenatal and childbirth care, as well as their babies showed neonatal complications that pointed towards these adolescent mothers’ need of multidisciplinary care.

Highlights

Pregnancy at adolescence remains a relevant topic in the Brazilian[1] reproductive health scope given its high prevalence, and because it is one of the main causes of morbidity in women in this age group.[2]
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Brazil accounts for one of the highest rates in pregnancy at adolescence in Latin America, it has presented a decrease in the last few years; the country recorded 68.4 live born babies for every one thousand girls in the 15-19 years old age group, in 2016.3
Most adolescents only received prenatal care at the public health centers; they were not examined by the same professional during the prenatal care and at childbirth

Summary

Introduction

Pregnancy at adolescence remains a relevant topic in the Brazilian[1] reproductive health scope given its high prevalence, and because it is one of the main causes of morbidity in women in this age group.[2]. Almost 20% of all births in Brazil, in 2010, were of adolescent mothers, whereas this rate was 14.72%, in 2019. The youngest adolescents (10-14 years) presented rates lower than 1%, and a tendency of a slight reduction.[4]. Pregnant adolescents use to have more inappropriate access to prenatal assistance; they tend to start late prenatal care and to have a smaller number of consultations than adult pregnant women.[5,6] Brazil, similar to other countries, registers high probability of premature childbirth, low birth weight , and maternal and neonatal mortality in adolescent mothers.[7,8] The chance to have other complications during pregnancy, such as urinary infections, abortion, pre-eclampsia, pregnancy-associated hypertensive disease and premature rupture of the membranes are high.[9,10,11]

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