Repeated adolescent pregnancy in Brazil from 2015 to 2019

ABSTRACT

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the rate of repeated pregnancy in adolescence and its association with early marriage and education level. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study conducted by searching the Live Births Data System. The study included all adolescents in the age group 10-19 years with live births from 2015 to 2019 (n=2,405,248), divided into three groups G1 primiparas; G2 with 1 previous pregnancy; and G3 with two or more previous pregnancies. RESULTS: Total repeated pregnancies remained stable, along the years. In the age group 10-14 years, the decrease in the period was from 5.0 to 4.7%, whereas in the age group 15-19 years, it was from 27.8 to 27.3%. Being married or in a stable union increases by 96% the chance of repeated pregnancy in the age group 10-14 years (p<0.001; OR=1.96; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.85-2.09). In the age group 15-19 years, the chance of repeated pregnancy among the married or in stable union increased 40% (p<0.001; OR=1.40; 95%CI 1.39-1.41)). Girls aged 10-14 years with an education level of<8 years had a 64% higher chance of repeated pregnancy (p<0.001; OR=1.64; 95%CI 1.53-1.75), and among those aged 15-19 years, there was a 137% higher chance of repeated pregnancy (p<0.001; OR=2.37; 95%CI 2.35-2.38). CONCLUSION: Repeated pregnancy in adolescence in Brazil remains very high over the years. There is an association between low education level and early marriage with repeated pregnancies in adolescence.