title: Preventive behavior for toxoplasmosis in pregnant adolescents in the state of Ceara, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  When toxoplasmosis is acquired during pregnancy, it can be transmitted to the fetus causing severe lesions in the first two gestational trimesters. This study analyzed the main factors associated with the preventive behavior for toxoplasmosis among pregnant adolescents in the city of Fortaleza in northeast Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  It is a cross-sectional study conducted from March 2009 to November 2010, with a sample of 320 pregnant adolescents, ages ranging from 12 to 19 years old, receiving prenatal care in the Public Health Care System. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression model analyses were used to identify the association between preventive behavior for toxoplasmosis, and the independent variables and 95% confidence interval.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed that 16.3% of the pregnant adolescents showed preventive behavior for toxoplasmosis. The factors positively associated to the preventive behavior for toxoplasmosis were: age group between 12 and 14 years old (OR = 2.75; 95%CI 1.23-6.12) and more than two prenatal consultations (OR = 2.19; 95%CI 1.17-4.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Noteworthy is the importance of a serologic follow-up for pregnant adolescents with clearer and more precise information about risk factors and the importance of adopting preventive behaviors. Thus, it is necessary to establish educational measures for handling food and raising kittens during prenatal care.
authors.affiliation: University of Fortaleza, Av. Washington Soares, 1321, Bairro Edson Queiroz, CEP 60.811-905 Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil. fabianneicapui@bol.com.br
authors.forename: Fabianne Ferreira
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Ana Paula Soares
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Gondim
authors.forename: Mary Braga
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.forename: Jose Ueleres
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.forename: Luiza Jane Eyre de Souza
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Maria Alix Leite
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Araújo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult