Determinant factors in Ecuador related to pregnancy among adolescents aged 15 or less
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P.A. Chedraui
Abstract
Objective: Determine social factors related to pregnancy among young adolescents. Methods: We obtained socio-demographic data from early adolescent nulliparas aged ≤15 years. Results: During the study period at the Enrique C. Sotomayor Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Guayaquil-Ecuador 201 early adolescent nulliparous patients of low socio-economic status were surveyed and compared with 201 low socio-economic nulliparous controls aged 20 to 30. Mean age of adolescents was 14±0.6 years, 58.7% of them were aged 14. Age of menarche and sexual initiation was lower among adolescents (11.8±0.9 vs 12.8±2 years and 12.6±1.1 vs 16.2±5 years, respectively, p<0.05). A higher rate of adolescents initiated sexually before menarche onset (18.4% vs 5%, p<0.05). The rate of those who wanted to become pregnant, had adequate prenatal care and had knowledge of conception, used contraception or had knowledge of any contraceptive method prior to pregnancy was significantly lower in adolescents (16.9% vs 86.5%; 37.3% vs 94.5%; 18% vs 70.1%; 6.5% vs 89.5%; 42.8% vs 84.5%, respectively, p<0.05). Age of sexual partner was lower in the adolescent group (20.4±3.4 vs 30±8 years, p<0.05). Compared to controls, higher rates of adolescents were school dropouts, had problems with the law and were involved in domestic violence (87% vs 9.9%, 7.5% vs 0.5%, 44.7% vs 2.5%, respectively, p<0.05). None of the adolescents were living with mother and father in a complete family structure. Parental illiteracy was higher among adolescents (9% vs 3.5%, p<0.05). Conclusion: In this low socio-economic population, early sexual initiation, poor reproductive health knowledge and the disruption of family structure
Copyright © 2004 by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG
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Articles in the same Issue
- Publishers' note
- ‘Fetal programming’ and ‘functional teratogenesis’: on epigenetic mechanisms and prevention of perinatally acquired lasting health risks
- The baby or the bathwater: which one should be discarded?
- Waterbirths compared with landbirths: an observational study of nine years
- Anti-hypertensive therapy and the feto-placental circulation: effects on umbilical artery resistance
- A 2 hour versus the 3 hour 100 g glucose tolerance test for diagnosing gestational diabetes mellitus
- Mycoplasma hominis in mid-trimester amniotic fluid: relation to pregnancy outcome
- Changes in the size of maternal inferior vena cava during pregnancy
- Maternal plasma procalcitonin concentrations in patients with preterm labor and intact membranes - prediction of preterm delivery and admission-to-delivery interval
- Determinant factors in Ecuador related to pregnancy among adolescents aged 15 or less
- Different maternal serum hCG levels in pregnant women with female and male fetuses: does fetal hypophyseal – adrenal – gonadal axis play a role?
- Behavioral pattern continuity from prenatal to postnatal life a study by four-dimensional (4D) ultrasonography
- Evidence of fetal pulmonary aspiration of intra-amniotic administered surfactant in animal experiment
- Impact of phototherapy on vasoactive mediators: NO and VEGF in the newborn
- Reexpansion pulmonary edema following patent ductus arteriosus ligation in a preterm infant
- Prostaglandin E[1] treatment in patent ductus arteriosus dependent congenital heart defects
- Maternal anaphylaxis and fetal brain damage after intrapartum chemoprophylaxis
- Atypical sonographic presentation of fetal unilateral inguinoscrotal hernia in a multiple gestation
- A case report of polysplenia syndrome associated with genital tract duplication anomaly
- Hyperphenylalaninemia in a premature infant with heterozygosity for phenylketonuria
