Trends in adolescent pregnancies.
Pregnancies in adolescents aged under 17 years constitute about 1.3% of all births in Queensland. A study of 189 adolescent pregnancies at the Royal Women's Hospital, Brisbane in 1977-1979 showed adequate antenatal care, and antenatal complications similar to those of a control group. There were greater incidences of unplanned Caesarean section, postpartum haemorrhage and puerperal infection. The major difference in the adolescent group was a perinatal mortality more than double that for the overall hospital population. The role of inadequate education in reproduction in the genesis of many adolescent pregnancies is stressed.
D000293:Adolescent; D000300:Adoption; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D003267:Contraception; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012736:Sex Education