Obstetric Complications in Adolescents and Impact on Maternal and Infant Health: RESULTS of a RETROSPECTIVE Analysis in a Brazilian Hospital (2019-2021)

Objective: This study aimed to identify the incidence of adolescent pregnancies, types of deliveries, hospitalization categories, and obstetric diagnoses in a Brazilian university hospital between January 2019 and August 2021. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted, analyzing 188 electronic medical records of adolescents aged 10 to 19 years. The variables collected included age, number of pregnancies, types of deliveries, risk level of hospitalization, length of hospital stay, maternal and fetal complications, obstetric diagnoses, family planning, and gestational age at birth. Descriptive analyses were performed to calculate absolute frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Results: The majority of the adolescents were primigravida (84.6%), and vaginal delivery was predominant (63.3%). Obstetric complications occurred in 35.1% of the cases, with perineal lacerations and episiotomies being the most common (40.0%). The mean gestational ageat birth was 37.5 weeks, with a prematurity rate of 14.4%. Postpartum family planning was accepted by 40.8% of the adolescents, with the intrauterine device (IUD) being the most chosen method (48.5%). Conclusion: Adolescent pregnancy remains a public health challenge, associated with significant obstetric complications. The high acceptance of postpartum contraceptive methods, especially the IUD, highlights the importance of educational and reproductive health interventions to improve maternal and infant outcomes in this population.