Maternal infant health in quilombo communities in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil

We aimed to describe indicators of maternal and child health in this communities in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. This is cross-sectional, population-based study. Data were collected in households randomly sampled including 411 women aged 18 to 49 years and 234 children aged less than five years. Most families (73.7%) reported a monthly income less than minimum wage and nearly half of respondents (49.2%) had less than four years of schooling. Accesses to drinking water, sewage and garbage collection were limited. Most women (52.1%) reported the first pregnancy as adolescents and 35% reported four or more pregnancies. Preventive examinations for cervical cancer showed irregular and 15.1% of women had never been screened In relation to pregnancy and childbirth, 23.5% of women reported fewer than six prenatal consultations, 37.2 % reported onset of prenatal care after the first trimester and 44.4% did attended a puerperal consultation. With regard to children, 15% had low birth weight, 9.4% had chronic health problems and 40.6% were taking no vitamin A. The results highlight critical conditions access to public services, including access to care health.