[Identifying risk factors for pregnancy amongst Colombian adolescents from urban and rural school populations].

OBJECTIVE

Assessing risk factors for pregnancy in an adolescent school population.

METHODOLOGY

A cross-sectional observational study was carried out on 7,068 adolescents whose ages ranged from 11 to 20 years who were attending 14 public schools in Bogotá and the surrounding municipalities. A self-questionnaire was administered focusing on socio-demographic, family and sentimental factors and the adolescents' knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding sexuality.

RESULTS

The average age was 15.3 years. 80 % had received family-planning in-formation; 32 % recognised the menstrual cycle. The prevalence of sexual activity was 40 % and 20 % were leading a sexually-active life. The prevalence of pregnancy was 4 % and the declared abortion rate was 1%. The risk factors involved not having received information about family-planning compared to understanding family-planning but with some doubts (OR 0.1: 0.03 to 0.4 95 % CI), previous abortion (OR 7.8: 2.3 to 25.8 95 % CI), not having planned against pregnancy during the first sexual relationship (OR 3.9: 2.2-7 95 % CI). Self-esteem, relationship with parents and perception of the future were not identified as being risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Teenage pregnancy seemed to be an accidental situation due to lack of knowledge rather than occurring because some teenagers were having trouble.