Features of motherhood in a population of Mozambique: identification of factors associated with teenage motherhood

Abstract

Aims. To identify the factors associated with the teenage motherhood in Tete (Mozambique). Methods. This is a cross-sectional study in which 821 pregnant women were included. Of these, 255 were under 20 years old and were considered teenage mothers. Results. Multivariate analysis showed that the factors with independent association with the teenage motherhood were the number of pregnancies (OR = 0.066; 95%CI = 0.040 – 0.110), the mean arterial pressure (OR per unity = 0.985; 95%CI = 0.973 – 0.997) and the previous abortion (OR = 4.419; 95%CI = 1.931 – 10.112). Conclusion. Adolescents are physiologically ill-prepared to cope with the burden of pregnancy, and are more susceptible to having perinatal complications.