Gravidez na adolescência: análise de fatores de risco para baixo peso, prematuridade e cesariana Teenage pregnancy: analysis of risk factors for low birth weight, prematurity and cesarean delivery

Abstract The scope of the study was to analyzepossible associations between maternal age under16 years and the weight and gestational age of thenewborn child, as well as the occurrence of cesare-an delivery. A cross-sectional study was conductedusing data of Live Birth Certificates/DN from theNational System of Live Births/SINASC in Feirade Santana, State of Bahia, Brazil, in the 2006-2012 period. In the analyses, logistic regression forthe odds ratio (OR) and a confidence interval of95% was used, measuring the strength of associa-tion between variables adjusted for confoundingfactors. Newborns (NB), with low birth weightand underweight, revealed a significant associa-tion with maternal age (< 16 years) and statisti-cal interaction of inadequate prenatal care andcesarean delivery. In teenage pregnancy under theage of 16 years, cesarean delivery showed a signif-icant association with single marital status (OR1.24), inadequate prenatal care (OR 1.58) andnewborns with low weight (OR 1.34). The datasuggest that multiple factors may interfere withthe type of delivery and pregnancy outcome of ad-olescents at an early age, pointing to the impor-tance of investment in policies and actions direct-ed at this group considered highly vulnerable toperinatal and pregnancy complications.