Comparison between two cohorts of adolescent mothers in Southeastern Brazil

Objective To compare the prevalence of pregnancy among adolescents and analyze trends in some social and biological variables among two cohorts of adolescent mo thers in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil, during 1978/79 and 1994. Methods Two cohorts of adolescent mothers were interviewed shortly after delivery, comprising 943 women in the first survey (1978/79) and 499 in the second (1 994). Both surveys covered more than 98% of births in all childbirth clinic s. Only singleton livebirths from adolescent mothers living in the municipa lity were included in the analysis. The Chi-square test was used for statis tical analysis, with a 0.05 significance level. Results The percentage of adolescent mothers increased from 14.1% in 1978/79 to 17. 5% in 1994 (p<0.05), mainly due to an increase in deliveries in the 13-17 y ears age group. There was a reduction in the number of smokers and mothers with lower schooling. The number of prenatal care visits increased There wa s also an increase in the proportion of single mothers, of those who were e mployed and got private delivery care. Low birth weight and preterm birth r ates remained unchanged for all of them. Ceasarean section and forceps deli very rates increased substantially Mothers in the 13-17 years age group how ever showed twice as much premature and low birth weight children, a higher proportion of single mothers with lower schooling, and higher rate of forc eps delivery Conclusions Some characteristics of the adolescent mothers in the 13-17 years age group were more unfavorable when compared to the 18-19 years age group. The char acteristics of adolescent age groups need to be better understood and taken into account in the prenatal and delivery care planning.