Impacto do estado nutricional no peso ao nascer de recém-nascidos de gestantes adolescentes Nutritional status impact on the birth weight of newborns pregnant adolescents

PURPOSE: to evaluate the impact of the nutritional status of pregnant adolescents on the birth weight. METHODS: a cohort study including 97 adolescents and their respective newborns, evaluated from May to June, 2004. Pregnant women from 10 to 19 years old in labor were included in the study, and those with multiple pregnancies, complications, less than 37 weeks gestation, and incomplete data records were excluded. Maternal nutritional status evaluation included height, body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy, gestational weight gain (GWG) and caloric-proteic intake, obtained by habitual food intake recordatory by the end of the third gestational trimester. The association between maternal variables (height, pre-gestational BMI, GWG and intake) and the newborn weight was analyzed by Spearman’s correlation test. Statistical signifi cance was assumed when p<0.05. RESULTS: the mean age was 17.8±1.12 years old. Most adolescents (66%) started pregnancy with adequate weight, 29% had low weight and 5% overweight. Most adolescents showed inadequate GWG, caloric and proteic intake. Low birth weight was recorded in 7% of the newborns and insuffi cient weight was recorded in 37% of them. Maternal height and GWG showed positive and signifi cant BW relation. Pre-gestational BMI and protein intake showed statistically signifi cant inverse correlation with birth weight. No correlation between caloric intake and BW was demonstrated. CONCLUSION: maternal height and GWG infl uence the newborn nutritional status.