Comparison of newborn and placental weights between adolescent and adult women

Background. Low placental weight is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Adolescent pregnant women are associated with higher preterm labour, low birth weight and fetal growth restriction rates than adult pregnant women.  Objective. To compare placental and newborn weights between groups of adolescent (≤19 years old) and adult mothers (20 - 28 years old).  Methods. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted with primiparous mothers who had their deliveries at ≥37 weeks’ gestation, and without maternal chronic disease or obstetrical intercurrence. Adolescents were divided into two groups (group A1, aged <15 years; group A2, 15 - 19 years), and the outcomes compared with a control group of adult mothers aged 20 - 28 years (group B). Group A1 included 23 newborns and 18 placentas, group A2 comprised 28 newborns and 28 placentas, and group B included 27 newborns and 27 placentas. The placental and newborn weights were compared between the groups using Student’s t -test for paired samples.  Results. The mean (standard deviation (SD)) weights of the newborns and placentas in group A were significantly lower than those in group B: 3167.8 g (359.6) v. 3404.0 g (136.8) ( p =0.0016) and 573.7 g (98.7) v. 651.0 g (109.8) ( p =0.0028), respectively. The mean (SD) newborn and placental weights in group A1 were significantly lower than those in group A2: 2996.0 g (373.7) v. 3309.0 g (273.6) ( p =0.0012) and 513.0 g (94.9) v. 612.5 g (73.8) ( p =0.0026), respectively.  Conclusion. The placental and newborn weights were significantly lower in the adolescent groups, and this difference was more pronounced in the younger of the adolescent groups.