Intervalo intergenésico y factores de riesgo para la salud infantil

Abstract

At San Juan de Dios and FéIix Bulnes hospitals in western metropolitan Santiago, 687 mothers were surveyed after delivery to measure the length of inter pregnancies spacing (S) and to relate it to selected child health risk factors. The survey was carried out from december) 984 to july 1985 excluding twin deliveries. 50% of deliveries occurred after a S longer than 44,5 months. 33,8% had spacing longer than 60 months (longer spacing LS) while S shorter than 24 months (shorter spacing SS) accounted for 19,2%. Average length was 56,1 mo (S.D. 39,2 mo.). Comparing SS against LS, the former had lower mean birth weight and lower incidence of high birth weight (HBW over 4 000 g.). Conversely, SS had higher incidences of Ion birth weight (LBW- under 2.501 g.), illegitimate children children conceived during the use of contraceptives methods (C) as well as unwanted children All these differences were significant. LS had higher incidence of H BW (10,3% ). LBW children had shorter S than HBW ones. (53,6 months against 68,7; p: 0,0485). Within the total 687 mothers there was 24,9% of illegitimate children (29,5% for SS and 19,8% for LS), 9,7% of children conceived during the use of C (28,0% for SS and 16,8% for LS) and 30,4% of unwanted children (40,2% for SS and 22,0% for LS).