[Maternity in adolescents in the districts and neighborhoods of Barcelona: its association with the socioeconomic level and the prevalence of low weight at birth. The Working Group of Maternal-Child Health of the Municipal Institute of Health of Barcelona].

OBJECTIVE: To describe the distribution of birth rates and low birth weight among teenagers from the health districts and neighbourhoods of Barcelona and their association with social and economic level.
DESIGN: Environmental study.
SETTING: City of Barcelona.
METHODS: The birth rates for under-20 year olds resident in Barcelona for the periods 1980-1982, 1987-1992 and 1990-1992 were calculated. The index of family economic capacity (IFEC) was used as a social and economic indicator. The coefficient of Spearman was used as a correlative measurement.
MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Between the periods 1980-1982 and 1990-1992, a 65% drop in the adolescent birth rate was observed. The correlation of birth rates with the IFEC for the district fell from -0.91 to -0.69 in the same period.
CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent birth rates have very uneven geographical distribution, which correlates with the distribution of income. The percentage of low weight at birth is higher in the poorest districts, but the association with IFEC is much weaker.