Complicaciones En Embarazo Adolescente

The Incidence and Complications of Teenage Pregnancy at Chonburi Hospital
Nahathai Watcharaseranee MD*, Pitcha Pinchantra MD*, Somkid Piyaman MD* * Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chonburi Hospital, Chonburi

Objective: This study aimed to determine the incidence of teenage pregnancy and compare obstetric and neonatal complications of teenage mothers with adult mothers. Material andMethod: This is a retrospective study conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chonburi Hospital, Thailand. The study group consisted of primigravida women aged 13-20 years who gave birth at Chonburi Hospital from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2005. The control group consisted of primigravida women aged 20-25 years who gave birth during the same period. Demographic, obstetric, andneonatal complications information were collected and compared between the study and control groups. Results: The study group consisted of 2,490 women and the control group consisted of 3,909 women. The study found that incidence of teenage pregnancy at Chonburi Hospital was 90 cases per 1,000 mothers. The study group had a lower gestational age at delivery than the control group and a higherpreterm delivery rate (20.1% vs 13.9%, p < 0.001). The study group had more inadequate antenatal care than control group (25.9% vs 13.4%, p < 0.001). Vaginal delivery was the major route of delivery in study group. Anemia was a significant difference between the study and control groups (17.1% vs 11.1%, p < 0.001). Low birth weight infant rate in study group was higher than control groupsignificantly. Conclusion: The incidence of teenage pregnancy was found to be 9%. Teenage mothers had lower levels of education and higher levels of inadequate antenatal care. Preterm labour and anemia were the obstetric complications in the teenage pregnancy. Low birth weight was the only neonatal complication in teenage pregnancy in the study. Keywords: Teenage pregnancy, Preterm labor, Low birth weight JMed Assoc Thai 2006; 89 (Suppl 4): S118-23 Full text. e-Journal: http://www.medassocthai.org/journal Teenage pregnancies are a common public health issue, in developed and developing countries (e.g. teenage sexual activity is increasing in Thailand leading to a larger number of teenage pregnancies). A review of sexual behaviour among Thai adolescents revealed that in 1998 approximately 30% of malesand 75% of females aged 15-18 years had already engaged in sexual intercourse, had a lack of knowledge about fertility, and infrequent use of contraception (1). Thailand’s Ministry of Health reported incidence of teenage pregnancy of 104.4, 117.6, 108, and 107 births per 1,000 women in the years 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 respectively(2).
Correspondence to : Watcharaseranee N, Department ofObstetrics and Gynecology, Chonburi Hospital, Chonburi 20000, Thailand. Phone & Fax: 038-931-331

Previous studies of pregnancy complications in teenage mothers have yielded conflicting results. The study of Osborne et al revealed that anaemia was a significantly complication in teenage pregnancy(3). The study of Smith et al found that teenage mothers had higher rates of stillbirths than adultmothers(4). The study of Reichman et al found that teenage pregnancies had a higher risk of a low gestational age, low birth weight, perinatal morbidity and anaemia(5). The study of Eure et al found that common complications in teenage pregnancies were preterm labour and preeclampsia(6). In 1999 the incidence of teenage pregnancy at Chonburi Hospital was 11%. The aim of this study was to determine theincidence of teenage pregnancy and assess the specific maternal and neonatal compli-

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J Med Assoc Thai Vol. 89 Suppl. 4 2006

cations in teenage pregnancies at Chonburi Hospital, during the period from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2005. Material and Method This is retrospective study set at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chonburi Hospital, Thailand. The authors...