OBJECTIVE: to identify characteristics and associations between maternal age and gestation, delivery, and livebirths of adolescent and young adult mothers in the city of Feira de Santana, state of Bahia, Brazil. METHODS: we carried out a cross-sectional, epidemiological study with a population of livebirths and adolescent mothers (aged 10-16 and 17-19 years) and young adult mothers (aged 20-24 years). The information were obtained from the Livebirths Information System (SINASC-1998) for a total of 5,279 livebirths. Study variables were classified into socio-demographic factors (age, schooling of the mother, sex of the newborn) and related to term, delivery, gestational age, birth weight, and Apgar score. Data were processed using prevalence ratio and multivariate analysis. Logistic regression was used to control confounding factors (prenatal and gestational age) and to establish an association between maternal age and birth weight. RESULTS: in 1998, 21.6% of all livebirths in the city of Feira de Santana were from adolescent mothers; out of these mothers, 51.2% had not finished junior high or elementary school. Prevalence ratio and adjusted odds ratio for the 10-16 years of age group indicated increased prevalence of illiteracy, no prenatal examination, and low birth weight and a low prevalence of adequate weight of the newborn in comparison to other age groups studied. Logistic regression showed a positive association between maternal age and low birth weight. We also observed that the SINASC database lacked information in many different fields. CONCLUSIONS: our results indicated, for adolescent mothers, a high prevalence of livebirths and low schooling. Also, especially for the 10-16 years of age group, we observed increased risks for illiteracy, no prenatal examinations, low birth weight, and inadequate weight of the newborn in comparison to other age groups.
pregnancy in adolescents; health indicators; newborns
