Introduction:

pregnancy in adolescent age constitutes a health problem all over the world, having repercussion throughout the society and affecting the health of the mother and the fetus.

Objective:

to describe the risk factors and complications associated with pregnancy in adolescent age.

Methods:

a bibliographic review with reference to pregnancy in adolescent age was carried out. The criteria of the authors and the results of the available researches in SciELO, Medline, PubMED databases were expressed; using a total of 30 bibliographic references, more than 75 % of the consulted literature corresponded to the last 5 years.

Development:

pregnancy in adolescent ages has not a specific cause. In its increase individual, familial and socioeconomic risk factors influence. Complications in pregnancy at early ages are frequent, and constitute a high obstetric risk affecting the life of the mother and the fetus. Complications are mainly associated with the biological characteristics of the mother and her gestational age.

Conclusions:

the main risk factors associated with pregnancy in adolescent ages are related to early initiation of sexual relations, poor sexual education and conflicts with the family. The most significant complications associated with pregnancy in adolescent ages are gestational hypertensive disease, obstetric trauma of delivery, preterm newborn and low birth weight (LBW). The prevention of risk factors, to develop a correct sexual education by the family, the society and the healthcare professionals will favor to decrease the rates of pregnancy in early ages.

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