Pires Raquel, Pereira Joana, Pedrosa Anabela Araújo, Bombas Teresa, Vilar Duarte, Vicente Lisa, Canavarro Maria Cristina
Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação. Universidade de Coimbra. Coimbra. Portugal. Unidade de Intervenção Psicológica. Maternidade Daniel de Matos. Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra. Coimbra. Portugal.
Serviço de Obstetrícia. Maternidade Daniel de Matos. Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra. Coimbra. Portugal.
Acta Med Port. 2014 Sep-Oct;27(5):543-55. Epub 2014 Oct 31.
The current study aimed to describe the relational and reproductive trajectories leading to adolescent pregnancy in Portugal, and to explore whether there were differences in this process according to adolescents' place of residence.
Data were collected between 2008 and 2013 in 42 public health services using a self-report questionnaire developed by the researchers. The sample consisted of a nationally representative group of pregnant adolescents (n = 459).
Regardless of having had one (59.91%) or multiple sexual partners (40.09%), the majority of adolescents became pregnant in a romantic relationship, using contraception at the time of the conception and knowing the contraceptive failure which led to pregnancy (39.22%). In some regions other trajectories were highly prevalent, reflecting options such as planning the pregnancy (Alentejo Region/ Azores Islands), not using contraception (Centro Region/Madeira Islands) or using it incorrectly, without identifying the contraceptive failure (Madeira Islands). On average, romantic relationships were longer than 19 months and adolescents' partners were older than themselves (> 4 years) and no longer in school (75.16%); these results were particularly significant when the pregnancy was planned.
The knowledge gained in this study shows that prevention efforts must be targeted according to the adolescents' needs in each region and should include high-risk male groups.
Our results may enable more efficient health policies to prevent adolescent pregnancy in different country regions and support educators and health care providers on sexual education and family planning efforts.
本研究旨在描述葡萄牙青少年怀孕的恋爱及生育轨迹，并探讨根据青少年居住地的不同，这一过程是否存在差异。
2008年至2013年间，在42个公共卫生服务机构使用研究人员编制的自填式问卷收集数据。样本包括一组具有全国代表性的怀孕青少年（n = 459）。
无论青少年有一个性伴侣（59.91%）还是多个性伴侣（40.09%），大多数青少年是在恋爱关系中怀孕的，怀孕时使用了避孕措施且知晓导致怀孕的避孕失败情况（39.22%）。在一些地区，其他轨迹非常普遍，反映出诸如计划怀孕（阿连特茹地区/亚速尔群岛）、不使用避孕措施（中部地区/马德拉群岛）或使用不当且未意识到避孕失败（马德拉群岛）等情况。平均而言，恋爱关系持续时间超过19个月，青少年的伴侣比他们年龄大（超过4岁）且已不在学校（75.16%）；当计划怀孕时，这些结果尤为显著。
本研究获得的知识表明，预防工作必须根据每个地区青少年的需求进行针对性开展，且应包括高危男性群体。
我们的研究结果可能有助于制定更有效的卫生政策，以预防不同国家地区的青少年怀孕，并为教育工作者和医疗保健提供者在性教育和计划生育方面的努力提供支持。
