THE OBSTETRIC IMPLICATIONS OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY

A retrospective review was performed on the obstetric outcome of teena ge pregnancies delivered in 1 year in a tertiary centre. The results w ere compared with the rest of the obstetric population in the same hos pital in the same year. The teenage mothers (it = 194) had increased i ncidence of sexually transmitted diseases (5.2 versus 1.0%, P < 0.05), and preterm labour (13.0 versus 7.0%, P < 0.01), but decreased incide nce of gestational glucose intolerance (3.1 versus 11.4%, P < 0.001), when compared with the non-teenage mothers (it = 4914). There was no d ifference in the types of labour, while the incidence of Caesarean sec tion was lower (4.1 versus 12.6%, P < 0.001) in the teenage mothers. A lthough the incidence of low birthweight was higher in the teenage mot hers (13.5 versus 6.5%, P < 0.001), there was no significant differenc e in the mean birthweight, gestation at delivery, incidence of total p reterm delivery, or perinatal mortality or morbidity. The results indi cate that the major risk associated with teenage pregnancies is preter m labour, but the perinatal outcome is favourable. The good results ac complished in our centre could be attributed to the free and readily a vailable prenatal care and the quality of support from the family or w elfare agencies that are involved with the care of teenage mothers.