Background. Low placental weight is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Adolescent pregnant women are associated with higher preterm labour, low birth weight and fetal growth restriction rates than adult pregnant women. Objective. To compare placental and newborn weights between groups of adolescent (≤19 years old) and adult mothers (20-28 years old). Methods. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted with primiparous mothers who had their deliveries at ≥37 weeks' gestation, and without maternal chronic disease or obstetrical intercurrence. Adolescents were divided into two groups (group A1, aged <15 years; group A2, 15-19 years), and the outcomes compared with a control group of adult mothers aged 20-28 years (group B). Group A1 included 23 newborns and 18 placentas, group A2 comprised 28 newborns and 28 placentas, and group B included 27 newborns and 27 placentas. The placental and newborn weights were compared between the groups using Student's t-test for paired samples. Results. The mean (standard deviation (SD)) weights of the newborns and placentas in group A were significantly lower than those in group B: 3167.8 g (359.6) v. 3404.0 g (136.8) (p=0.0016) and 573.7 g (98.7) v. 651.0 g (109.8) (p=0.0028), respectively. The mean (SD) newborn and placental weights in group A1 were significantly lower than those in group A2: 2996.0 g (373.7) v. 3309.0 g (273.6) (p=0.0012) and 513.0 g (94.9) v. 612.5 g (73.8) (p=0.0026), respectively. Conclusion. The placental and newborn weights were significantly lower in the adolescent groups, and this difference was more pronounced in the younger of the adolescent groups.

Objective: to investigate whether concentrations of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the umbilical cord blood (UCB) are valid biomarkers for the detection of infection in newborns of pregnant women with urinary tract infection (UTI). Methods: PCT and CRP were measured from UCB and were verified through a prospective study of newborns with appropriate birth weights, without asphyxia or signs of bacterial infection whose mothers were diagnosed with untreated or inadequately treated UTI during the final trimester of pregnancy. The blood of newborns was analyzed according to Rodwell criteria. Was calculated the relative risk to detect altered PCT and/or CRP concentration in UCB in newborn with positive Rodwell criteria. Results: samples from 97 newborns at term were analyzed according to Rodwell criteria. Fifty-six of them showed negative criteria. The RR was 2.0 (95% CI-1.1-3.6 p = 0.03) according to PCT and 2.3 (95% CI-1.1-4.9) p = 0.03 according to CRP. Conclusion: A normal value to PCT or CRP available from UCB duplicate the possibility to Rodwell negative criteria result in peripheral blood of the neonate, away from the possibility of infection in newborn infants of mothers who had UTI in the pregnancy.