Conducta reproductiva en población de un servicio de salud metropolitano: intervalo intergenético

Abstract

To up-date information on reproductive behavior within a state-financed metropolitan health service children spacing was measured in 1.000 women, non-primigravidas. Relationships between spacing (S) and birthweight, maternal age, parity, type of delivery and use of contraceptive methods at the moment of conception (CM) were searched for. 40,1% of babies were born after S of 5 years or longer, with a frequency of MAC failure of 17,5% (70/401), 56% of mothers olders than 30 years and 67,5% of normal deliveries. The second frequency was the group of children born after S under 2 years: 21,8% , with a higher failure of CM (30,7%: 67/218), only 19,3°/ of mothers older than 30 years and 75,2% of normal deliveries. Mean birthweights were over 3.200 g. with a trend to be higher in medium and longer S. Spacing of 5 years or more showed the highest frequency of birthweights of 4.000 g. and over (10,2%) while birthweight under 1.500 g. was only observed in S under 2 years (1,8%). The high rate of CM failure and the implications of these findings are discussed.