title: [Teenage pregnancy: Behavioral and socio-demographic profile of an urban Brazilian population].
abstract: To identify the socio-demographic behavioral profile of low-income pregnant teenagers, 1,000 adolescents admitted to a Brazilian public maternity hospital from July 24, 2001, to November 27, 2002, were interviewed. Socio-demographic and behavioral variables were assessed through a questionnaire. Over the 492 days of the study, 24.3% of admissions were adolescents (930 for childbirth and 70 for miscarriage). Mean maternal age was 17 years. Most teenagers (72.9%) lived near the hospital. 930 (93%) belonged to socioeconomic classes C, D, and E. School dropout was identified in 67.3% of the total. 80.1% of the subjects were giving birth for the first time. 81.2% had not planned the pregnancy, and 23.8% had been using some contraceptive method. 67.4% had vaginal deliveries. Some 13.3% of the newborns were premature and 15.9% had low birth weight. 17.3% of these adolescent mothers reported smoking during pregnancy, with 2.8% reporting alcohol and 1.7% illicit drugs. Teenage pregnancy is a complex phenomenon associated with various economic, educational, and behavioral factors. The study provides importance references for public policies to prevent teenage pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil. elisachalem@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chalem
authors.forename: Sandro Sendin
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Mitsuhiro
authors.forename: Cleusa P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: Marina Carvalho Moraes
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guinsburg
authors.forename: Ronaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laranjeira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011204:Poverty Areas; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013332:Student Dropouts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*