Teenagers obstetric performance

OBJECTIVE: To study the pregnancy outcome in teenage primigravida women admitted and delivered in our unit between April 1997 and March 1998, and to compare the outcome with other primigravida above 20 years old.

METHODS: Data was collected from primigravidae in respect of age, last menstrual period, history of booking at Primary Health Center and complications of pregnancies were identified. The process of labor and delivery were monitored and the outcome recorded.

RESULTS: During the period of study, 2,650 women delivered in the unit, 171 (6%) were primigravida, out of which 116 (68%) were teenagers, ages between 13 and 19 years old, 55 (32%) were above 20 years of age. All the primigravidas were married and therefore had their husband and parental support. Forty three percent of the teenagers plan to return to school after delivery. The length of the 2nd stage of labor (67.7 minutes) in the young teenagers aged 13 to 15 years was significantly longer than of the older teenagers 16 to 19 years old and that of the control group ages above 20 years old, P<0.0001. The mean birth weight (2.45 kgm) in the younger teenagers were also lower than that of the older teenagers and the control group (3 kgm and 3.25 kgm) P<0.0001. There was no significant difference between the teenagers ages 13 to 19 years old and the control group regarding normal vagina delivery, lower segment cesarean, ventouse delivery, number of anemic patients and the mean birth weight as shown by the P-values. There was no significant difference in the numbers and types of medical complications identified between the teenagers and the control group.

CONCLUSION: The younger teenage group (13 to 15 years) has been identfied as the high-risk group in this study but there was no significant difference in the pregnancy outcome of the teenagers (13 to 19 years old) in general compared with the control group. Attention must therefore be turned to the young teenagers pregnancy, labor and delivery. To avoid poor outcome in this age group, age at first pregnancy should be encouraged from 16 years and above.