Gravidez na adolescência: apoio integral à gestante e à mãe adolescente como fator de proteção da reincidência

Teenage pregnancy: impact of the integral attention given to the pregnant teenager and adolescent mother as a protective factor for repeat pregnancy

Abstract

Objective: Compare pregnancy recurrence among adolescents who participated in the integral support program for pregnant adolescent and adolescent mother with that of adolescents who did not participate in the program. Methodology: A prospective study of 30 adolescents who participated in the program (case group), and 39 adolescents who did not (control group) between 7/1/04 and 6/30/05. The youngers of the case group had mother/child follow-up on a monthly basis during the first year after delivery; among the control group, individual and confidential interviews were carried out during the puerperal period. Analysis in both groups was done concerning pregnancy recurrence, postpartum orientation about contraceptives, level of education, school abandonment, marital status, and relationship with partner. Results: The adolescents of the case group presented 3.3% of pregnancy recurrence (p > 0.05) average of nine years of education, school abandonment in 33.3% of the cases (p < 0.05); the control group presented 15.4% of pregnancy recurrence, average of seven years of education, school abandonment in 75.8% of the cases. The majority (60% and 66.7%, respectively) did not use any birth control method prior to first pregnancy, remained single (56.7% and 51.3%), and approximately a quarter (26.7% and 25.5%) did not have contact with the partner. Conclusion: Among the studied adolescents, pregnancy recurrence was lower in the case group.