Adolescent pregnancies in Turkey: a single center experience.

Abstract

Background: Adolescent pregnancies are more likely to be complicated with adverse perinatal outcomes.

Objective: Assess the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of adolescents who have delivered singleton newborns.

Design: Retrospective cohort.

Settings: A tertiary training and research hospital in Turkey.

Patients and methods: This was a review of adolescents and adults who delivered singleton newborns at a tertiary health center between January 2018 and June 2022. Pregnant adolescents were aged <20 years.

Main outcome measures: Adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes.

Sample size: 2233 pregnant women (754 adolescents and 1479 adults).

Results: Turkish nationality was significantly less prevalent in pregnant adolescents than pregnant adults (P=.001). Oligohydramnios, fetal growth restriction, perineal injury and postpartum intravenous iron treatment were significantly more prevalent in pregnant adolescents than pregnant adults (P<.05 for all). The neonates born to adolescent mothers had significantly lower birth weight and first minute Apgar score than the neonates born to adult mothers (P=.001 for both). Small for gestational age, need for intensive care and death were significantly more prevalent in neonates born to adolescent mothers than those born to adult mothers (P=.001 for all). Compared with pregnant adults, pregnant adolescents had a significantly higher risk of oligohydramnios (P=.001), preterm delivery (P=.024), intravenous iron treatment (P=.001), and small for gestational age (P=.001).

Conclusion: Due to the refugee population received by Turkey, it would be prudent to expect more frequent adolescent pregnancies. Adolescent pregnancies are more likely to be complicated with low birth weight, oligohydramnios, preterm delivery, postpartum iron treatment, lower Apgar scores, need for neonatal intensive care and neonatal death.

Limitation: Retrospective.