| Summary: | Objective: To perform a comparative analysis between the frequencyof prematurity and low birth weight among newborns of adolescentand adult mothers, and to evaluate selected maternal data. Methods:A comparative cohort study involving 703 pregnant women and theirnewborns at a public hospital in the city of São Paulo (270 mothersaged 10-19 years, and 433 aged 20-35 years), during the period fromMarch to August 2003. Results: The birth of premature or low birthweight children was not prominent in any of the age groups; thesmall differences found were not statistically significant. However,significant differences were found between the two age groups in theitems: number of gestations, with a predominance of first pregnanciesamong adolescents (70.3%), and a greater number of second or thirdpregnancies among adults (26.9 and 53.3%, respectively); in theprenatal period, fewer clinic visits among adolescents and more visitsamong adults (45.1% and 63.3%, respectively). Conclusion: Thegroup of pregnant adolescents in the population studied did not differfrom the group of adults as to frequency of prematurity and low birthweight. Among adolescents, there was a significantly higher numberof primiparous patients compared to adults, and a lower number ofprenatal visits.
|
|---|
