Maternal Youth and Pregnancy Outcomes: Early and Middle adolescent Versus Late Adolescent Compared with Women beyond the Teen Years

Abstract

Objective: To compare the maternal and fetal risk of adverse Pregnancy outcome in early and middle adolescent and late adolescent with women beyond the teen years Patients & Method: This is a retrospective hospital-based cross sectional study. Data were collected from medical records of 9,276 pregnant women, who attended the antenatal care clinic and delivered at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital between January 2011 and December 2011. The subjects were divided into three groups according to maternal age (group 1: early and middle adolescent, group 2: late adolescent, group 3: women beyond the teen years). Antenatal complication, intervention in labor, route of delivery, maternal morbidity, birth weight and neonatal outcome were collected and analyzed. Results: The prevalence of adolescent pregnant women 15.0% (group 1 was 7.0% and group 2 was 8.0%). Compared to women beyond the teen years, the following outcomes were significantly more common in group 1 (OR with 95% confidence interval); inadequate antenatal care 1.82 (1.46-2.27), anemia 2.66 (2.15-3.27), preterm delivery 2.16 (1.79-2.61), low birth weight 4.36 (3.54-5.35), low apgar score 1.57 (1.12-2.16) and in group 2; anemia 2.17 (1.76-2.67), preterm delivery 1.59 (1.31-1.92), lo birth weight 1.61 (1.31-1.97). Conclusion: The prevalence of adolescent pregnant woman was 15.0%. Early and middle adolescent Pregnant women had higher prevalence of inadequate antenatal care, anemia, preterm delivery, low birth weight and low apgar score. Late adolescent pregnant women had higher prevalence of anemia, preterm delivery and low birth weight