Assessment of the Nutritional Status of Pregnant Adolescent Women: analysis of secondary data

Teenage pregnancy involves aspects related to different causes; however, it is a public health problem as it implies health risks for the mother/child binomial with socioeconomic impact. This study aimed to describe the nutritional status of pregnant adolescent users of public health services registered in the Food and Nutritional Surveillance System Network in 2018, according to the regions of Brazil, as well as the southern region of the country, and the health regions of the State of Santa Catarina. This is an epidemiological study with an ecological, descriptive design, whose sample involved pregnant teenagers attended in the primary care services of the Unified Health System in 2018. The variable evaluated was the body mass index classifying the nutritional status as underweight, adequate weight, and overweight. Data from 137,273 pregnant adolescents in 2018 in the five regions of Brazil were analyzed, with 11,417 in the southern region of the country, and 2,538 in the state of Santa Catarina. It was found that the South region had a significantly lower percentage of low birth weight when compared to the other regions. When analyzing the adequacy of the weight of pregnant women, the following significantly different sequence was obtained with regards to prevalence: Northern region was greater than the South which was greater than the Midwest and Northeast (equal to each other) and greater than the Southeast. As for overweight, there were no statistical differences between the Midwest, Northeast, and South of the country, and was the most prevalent between the regions. The data from the Southern region show an equal prevalence of underweight and eutrophy among the states, and regarding overweight, Parana had a significantly lower percentage when compared to Rio Grande do Sul and equal to that of Santa Catarina. The nutritional status of pregnant adolescents in Santa Catarina, according to health regions, demonstrated regional inequalities, such as overweight in Alto Uruguai Catarinense and predominantly underweight individuals in Serra Catarinense. The importance of prenatal care by a multidisciplinary team is highlighted, stressing the need to carry out food and nutrition education as well as investments in actions that provide and encourage physical activity in safe and easily accessible places for this population group, especially in the Southern region of the country.