Brazil in growth: Regional patterns of live births and prenatal care in 2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v15i5.51040Keywords:
Maternal and Child Health, Prenatal Care, Live Births, Health Information Systems, Health Status Disparities.Abstract
Objective: to describe the sociodemographic, obstetric, and neonatal profiles of live births in Brazil in 2024, by macro-region. Methods: This is a descriptive ecological study based on secondary data from the Live Birth Information System (SINASC/DATASUS). Sociodemographic, obstetric, and neonatal variables were analyzed using absolute and relative frequencies. Regional comparisons were performed using the chi-square test (χ²), adopting a significance level of p<0.05. Results: a total of 2,384,438 births were analyzed. A higher proportion of adolescent mothers was observed in the North (22.3%) and Northeast (19.7%), while higher maternal education levels were found in the Southeast (78.4%) and South (74.9%). Coverage of ≥7 prenatal visits reached 85.5% in the South and 64.9% in the North. The cesarean section rate was high (60.6%), with higher proportions in the Midwest (66.6%) and South (63.1%). Prematurity and low birth weight were more frequent in the North and Northeast. Significant regional heterogeneity was observed (p<0.001). Conclusion: Despite broad healthcare coverage, persistent regional inequalities in prenatal care and neonatal outcomes highlight the need to strengthen public policies focused on equity and quality in maternal and child healthcare.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Márcio Cristiano de Melo, Naila Albertina de Oliveira, Jucilene Casati Lodi, Lia Maristela da Silva Jacob, Herla Maria Furtado Jorge, Ana Carine Arruda Rolim
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