Is adolescent pregnancy a risk factor for low birth weight?

• Published in: Revista de saúde pública Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 11 - 19
• Main Authors: Alzira Maria D'avila Nery Guimarães, Heloísa Bettiol, Luiz De Souza, Ricardo Q Gurgel, Maria Luiza Dória Almeida, Eleonora Ramos De Oliveira Ribeiro, Marcelo Z GoldaniV, Marco Antônio Barbieri
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo 01-02-2013
• Subjects: Atención Prenatal; Embarazo en Adolescencia; Estudios Transversales; Factores de Riesgo; Factores Socioeconómicos; Recién Nacido de Bajo Peso
• ISSN: 1518-8787
• DOI: 10.1590/s0034-89102013000100003

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether adolescent pregnancy is a risk factor for low birth weight (LBW) babies. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of mothers and their newborns from a birth cohort in Aracaju, Northeastern Brazil. Data were collected consecutively from March to July 2005. Information collected included socioeconomic, biological and reproductive aspects of the mothers, using a standardized questionnaire. The impact of early pregnancy on birth weight was evaluated by multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: We studied 4,746 pairs of mothers and their babies. Of these, 20.6% were adolescents (< 20 years of age). Adolescent mothers had worse socioeconomic and reproductive conditions and perinatal outcomes when compared to other age groups. Having no prenatal care and smoking during pregnancy were the risk factors associated with low birth weight. Adolescent pregnancy, when linked to marital status "without partner", was associated with an increased proportion of low birth weight babies. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescence was a risk factor for LBW only for mothers without partners. Smoking during pregnancy and lack of prenatal care were considered to be independent risk factors for LBW.