Desigualdades raciais nas tendências da maternidade adolescente e no acesso ao prénatal no Brasil, 2008-2019.

Abstract

Teenage pregnancy and motherhood are issues related to human rights, sexual and reproductive rights, and public health. To identify racial inequities in nationwide temporal trends of teenage motherhood and access to antenatal visits in Brazil. A descriptive analysis of the proportion of adolescent mothers of live births, sociodemographic characteristics, and the number of prenatal visits according to race/color and age group (10-14 and 15-19 years) was performed using data from the Live Birth Information System. Trends over time were evaluated using negative binomial regression models. During the analysis period, 6.118.205 adolescents mothers were identified, with the highest proportion of mothers between 15-19 years of age (95.14%). The trend analysis showed an overall pattern of decreasing proportions of motherhood among adolescents aged 10-14 (RR=0.97; p<0.0001) and a stationary trend among those aged between 15-19 (RR=0.99; p=0.611). Racial inequities were found, with a descending trend observed only among White (10-14 and 15-19 age groups) and Mixed/Brown (ages 10-14) adolescents. Trends were ascending for both age groups among Indigenous girls and stationary for Blacks. Indigenous (20.8%), Mixed/Brown (40.4%) and Black (41.9%) are the ones that least refer to the performance of 7 or more prenatal visits compared to White (56.6%). Racial inequities cross the sexual and reproductive trajectories of girls and adolescents, leading to unintended maternity wards. Health policies should consider racism and its manifestations that create barriers to access to prenatal care faced by girls and adolescents in Brazil.