OBJECTIVE: We analyzed clinical records of infants born to adolescent mother (A) vs adult mothers (B) to evaluate the risk of maternal age.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: 20604 newborns (NB) were delivered from 1991 to 1995 at Arzobispo Loayza Hospital, 2896 (14%) were incorporated in group A (mothers 12-19 years of age: 412 from 12-16 years and 2484 from 17-19years) and 15280 (74,2%) in group B (mothers 20-34 years). Both groups were compared with respect to general and specific neonatal mortality rate (NMR), for gestational age (GA), weight for GA, delivery type (DT), parity (P), maternal civil state (CS), and prenatal control (PC). Statistical analysis of the data was carried out using EPIINFO6, with chi square (X2), X2 for trends and the risks determination as needed.

RESULTS: General NMR was 14,9‰, being similar in A (13,8‰) and B (14.3‰). Specific NMR by delivery type was significantly greater at younger mothers when delivery was by the cephalic route: 24.7‰ for A from 13-16 years old, 9.5‰ for A from 17-19 years old and 9.4‰ for B (p=0.02). With vacum the NMR were 62.5‰, 14.1‰ and 2.4, respectively (p=0.0061). DT frequency in different age-groups were significantly different (X2= 62.11 p=0.000000). We standarized the NMR by mother age-group according to DT and we did X2 for trends= 3.893 (p=0.048); odd ratio (OR) compared to A from 13-16 years old was 0.55 for A from 17-19 years old and 0.46 for B. The three first causes of death in groups A and B were (in descendent order): neonatal asfixia, respiratory distress syndrome and infections.

CONCLUSION: Age does not appear to influence NMR at Loayza Hospital despite mortality rate is high in our setting. Lower maternal age associated with higher mortality risk for NB born by the cephalic route or vacum and this persisted after standarization by type of delivery. The mortality causes of NB for maternal age are the same.