Demographic Profile and Characteristics of Adolescent and Pre-Adolescent Mothers During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the State of Ceará (Brazil)

Abstract

Adolescent pregnancy is a significant public health issue in Brazil, contributing to high morbidity and mortality rates among young women. During pregnancy, many adolescents drop out of school and work, leading to lower qualifications and increased vulnerability to the informal labor market. Moreover, pregnant adolescents face higher risks of gestational complications and emotional challenges, such as anxiety and depression. The pandemic exacerbated these vulnerabilities, particularly concerning domestic abuse, due to social isolation. This study is justified by the need to understand the demographic profile and characteristics of adolescent mothers in Ceará between 2020 and 2022, providing support for public policies aimed at improving the quality of life for these young women and their children. All data were analyzed using R. During the analyzed period, 331,924 live births were recorded in Ceará, of which 21,667 (6.53%) were from mothers aged 17 years or younger. The average age of adolescent mothers was 15.93 ± 1.11 years, while the average for adult mothers was 28.00 ± 6.21 years, showing a statistically significant difference (Student's t-test, P < 0.05). The analysis also revealed a significant difference between the age of fathers of children born to adolescent mothers (22.25 ± 5.72 years) compared to the age of fathers of children born to adult mothers (32.45 ± 7.81 years) (Wicoxon test, P < 0.05). Regarding ethnicity, indigenous adolescents accounted for 9.95% of pregnancy cases, followed by brown (7.26%) and black (5.9%) adolescents. The lowest proportion was observed among white adolescents (4.43%). There was no statistically significant difference among indigenous, mixed-race, black, and yellow populations. Concerning marital status, 71% of adolescents declared themselves single. Educational analysis showed a significant trend of pregnancy among adolescents with incomplete or complete middle school or incomplete high school education, indicating that these young women were still in the process of completing these educational levels. There was no significant relationship between decreasing maternal age and a reduction in newborns' APGAR scores (APGAR = 0.014 × "MOTHER'S AGE" + 8.5; P < 0.05, R² = 0.0004). Additionally, there was no significant difference in the proportion of congenital anomalies between births of adolescent and adult mothers.