Resumen

AGUERO, Oscar  y  AVILAN ROVIRA, José Miguel. EDAD, PARIDAD, EMBARAZO Y PARTO. Rev Obstet Ginecol Venez [online]. 2001, vol.61, n.3, pp.147-152. ISSN 0048-7732.

Objective: To compare the frequency of pregnancies in adolescents (younger than 20 years old) and in older that 40 years, in two periods with 30 years of difference, in the median and high social class. Method: Analysis of medical records of pregnant patients assisted during the years 1966-68 (Group 1) and 1996-98 (Group 2). From Group 1, 2 604 patients were studied, and 1 513 from Group 2. Setting: Private Hospital "Centro Medico de Caracas". Results: Mean age was similar in the two Groups ­30.72 years for Group 1, 30.66 years for Group 2, as well as the increase in age according to the number of gestations, the extreme ages ranged from 17 to 42 years for Group 1 and 15 to 46 for Group 2. The frequency of cesarean sections was higher in the Group 2 (48.39%) than in the Group 2 (11.64%). The number of pregnancies in adolescents significantly decreased from 3.1% in the Group 1 to 1.18% in the Group 2; inversely, the number of gestations in older than 40 years significantly increased from 2.34% to 3.96%, respectively; similarly, the number of primipara of 35 years or more also increased. Conclusions: In the median and median-high social class, from the Private Hospital "Centro Medico de Caracas", the number of pregnancies in adolescents decreased and increased in women of 40 years or more. Additional studies at this social class level are necessary to determine if it is a more generalized fact and it possible causes