Obstetric outcomes for teenage and adult pregnancy: a comparative study

Background: Teenage pregnancy represents an important social and public health problem in many countries. From a medical point of view, several morbid situations have been associated with pregnancy in adolescents. Aim: compare pregnancy outcomes among teenage and adult women. Subject & methods: design: Α descriptive design is used. Sample: Α purposive sample of 200 recently parturient women was selected; they were divided into 2 groups, the first (100) their ages more than 20 years, while the second (100) their age not recessed 20 years. Setting: labor unit affiliated to the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Ɓeni-Ѕuef General Hospital. Tools: Α structured interview questionnaire, Summary of labor sheet, and Neonatal assessment sheet. Results: The results showed that teenage women were more likely to have а consanguineous relation with their husbands and living in rural areas. As well as they were less likely to be working women and to have high education. Teenage women were more likely to be primipara and had а history of abortion compared to adult women. Concerning maternal and fetal complication encountered, women in the teenage group had a statistically higher percentage of preeclampsia and anemia and others such as preterm labor and deliver low birth weight babies. Teenage women were more likely to have perineal tears and postpartum hemorrhage, birth injuries, and perinatal death. Conclusion: High incidence of maternal and fetal complications was associated with adolescent pregnancies. Recommendations: Outreach programs to rural areas in Upper Egypt to enhance population awareness regarding proper age of marriage and distribute booklets, pamphlets which illustrate the maternal and fetal complications of teenagers’ marriage.