[Change in reproductive partner among women delivering at a Metropolitan Santiago public hospital].
BACKGROUND
Previous studies in Metropolitan Santiago, showed that at least 10% of mothers changed their reproductive partner.


OBJECTIVE
To study the frequency of reproductive partner change and its associated factors among women delivering in a public hospital.


METHODS
We interviewed 859 non primiparous women that gave birth to a child in a public hospital of Metropolitan Santiago, between March 2001 and February 2002.


RESULTS
Mean maternal age rose according to birth order from 27.4 to 33.6 years from the second to the fourth sibling. Married women were the largest group and single ones decreased from the second to the third sibling. Twenty two percent had some activity out of home and those with a high birth order (fourth or more) exhibited poorer schooling. Unwanted pregnancies increased with birth order, reaching 55% among "fourth and over" births. Thirty four percent of women delivering their second child, changed their partner. Among women delivering their third child, 38.6% had one sibling with a different father; 20.4% had changed partner during their second pregnancy and 20% during the current one. Among those in the "fourth and over, group, 56.1% had at least one sibling with a different father; 18.3% had changed partner in the second sibling; 15%, in the third and 27.8%, in the fourth and over. In all birth orders, mothers with activity out of home exhibited a higher frequency of partner change. The most common reasons to change partner were infidelity, abandon or a personal decision, while economic reasons were uncommon.


CONCLUSIONS
A great number of children are exposed to bonding ruptures and to the consequential mental health or behavioral problems.
Departamento de Pediatría y Cirugía Infantil Occidente, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile. nvargas@med.uchile.cl
Nelson A
NA
Vargas
Cristián
C
Villar
Alejandro
A
Lastra
D000328:Adult; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010298:Parity; D012747:Sexual Partners; D014505:Urban Population