Maternal and perinatal outcome in adolescent and adult primigravida

Abstract

Background: Improving maternal and child health is prioritized globally; however, adolescent pregnancies remain the prime one among the many obstacles. The study aimed to determine the maternal and perinatal outcomes in adolescent and adult primigravida.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was carried out between 1^st December 2018 to 30^th November 2019, over a sample of 487 pregnant women (primigravida), presenting at the Jinnah Medical College Hospital, Karachi, for childbirth/delivery. The patients were categorized as adolescents (aged ≤19 years) and labelled as group A and adults (aged 20-34 years) labelled as group B, comprising 83 and 404 patients. Data were recorded using a structured questionnaire containing details pertaining to socio-demographic characteristics, labour, delivery and immediate postpartum period complications of pregnancy. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 23.0.

Results: A total of 1738 deliveries were completed in the study duration at Jinnah Medical College Hospital, Karachi. The mean age of the women was 18.35 ± 0.06 years, and the modal age was 27 years. The mean gestational age of the women was 36.86 ± 2.15 weeks among teens and 38.55 ± 0.55 weeks among adults. The incidence of adverse outcomes was higher among maternal [anemia; 46.9% (p-value 0.05)] and perinatal [preterm delivery (20%), low birth weight (22%), stillbirth (11.5%) and perinatal mortality (10%); p<0.05] was higher among teens.

Conclusion: It is concluded that teenage pregnancies are comparatively riskier than adult pregnancies for the child and the mother, as is apparent from the significant difference in maternal and perinatal adverse outcomes observed in the study.