Inequalities in prenatal care in a southeastern city in Brazil/Desigualdades no pre-natal em cidade do sudeste do Brasil

The scope of this article is to evaluate the association between adequate prenatal care and sociodemographic variables in Niteroi in the state of Rio de Janeiro. It involved a cross-sectional study conducted between 2000 and 2009 evaluating 62,449 live births using data from the Brazilian Live Birth Information System (SINASC). Multivariate analysis by logistic regression was performed considering quantitatively adequate prenatal care--seven or more visits--as the dependent variable, and maternal age, educational level and skin color as independent variables. The time trends of mother's age, educational level and prenatal visits were also analyzed. The significance level was 5%. There was an improvement in educational level, reduction in adolescent pregnancy and an increase in mothers aged over 35 in Niteroi. Women who attended seven or more prenatal visits remained above 80%, though with differences according to age, education and skin color. Adult women (OR = 1.4; IC95% 1.39-1.56). women with eight or more years of schooling (OR = 2.5; IC95% 2.45-2.70) and white women (OR = 2.4; IC95% 2.30-2.53) had more chances of adequate prenatal care. Health inequalities in maternal health care on offer in Niteroi were identified, despite improvements in social and demographic indicators in the city.