Teenage pregnancy: analysis of risk factors for low birth weight, prematurity and cesarean delivery

The scope of the study was to analyze possible associations between maternal age under 16 years and the weight and gestational age of the newborn child, as well as the occurrence of cesarean delivery. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data of Live Birth Certificates/DN from the National System of Live Births/SINASC in Feira de Santana, State of Bahia, Brazil, in the 2006-2012 period. In the analyses, logistic regression for the odds ratio (OR) and a confidence interval of 95% was used, measuring the strength of association between variables adjusted for confounding factors. Newborns (NB), with low birth weight and underweight, revealed a significant association with maternal age (<= 16 years) and statistical interaction of inadequate prenatal care and cesarean delivery. In teenage pregnancy under the age of 16 years, cesarean delivery showed a significant association with single marital status (OR 1.24), inadequate prenatal care (OR 1.58) and newborns with low weight (OR 1.34). The data suggest that multiple factors may interfere with the type of delivery and pregnancy outcome of adolescents at an early age, pointing to the importance of investment in policies and actions directed at this group considered highly vulnerable to perinatal and pregnancy complications.