Comparison of perinatal clinical profiles in newborns of adolescent and non-adolescent mothers

Objective. To compare the clinical profiles in newborns of adolescent and non-adolescent mothers. Materials and Methods. Comparative cross-sectional study. Newborns selected by cluster sampling registered in the hospital. Two groups were formed according to the mother's age: adolescent and non-adolescent. The clinical profile was evaluated with: weight, length, Apgar score, gestational age, and presence of neonatal pathology. For the comparison between proportions, we used chi-squared test and student's t-test between the mean. Results. Of the 2,155 clinical profiles of newborns analyzed, 819 (38%) were newborns of adolescent mothers and 1,336 (62%) of non-adolescent mothers. Differences between birth weight groups 2,859 +/- 459 vs. 3,265 +/- 486 grams (p = 0.000), male gender 518 (63%) vs. 725 (54%) female (p = 0.000); intrauterine growth restriction in full-term newborns 62 (7.5%) vs. 66 (4.9%) (p = 0.012); prematurity 171 (21%) vs. 213 (16%) (p = 0.003). Factors that favor the alteration of clinical profiles in newborns: adolescent mother OR: 1.58 (1.99-2.99), male gender OR: 1.80 (1.50-2.17), neonatal pathology OR: 3.73 (2.50-5.30), association of low birth weight in newborns of adolescent mothers OR: 2.4 (1.72-3.42). Conclusion. We found a high frequency of observing in newborns of adolescent mothers greater risk of prematurity, intrauterine growth restriction, and neonatal pathology. No differences were seen in length and Apgar score.