title: Antenatal complications in adolescent mothers aged below 14 years.
abstract: Antenatal complications in 340 booked and 710 unbooked adolescent mothers aged 12-14 years were evaluated over a 2-year period at the Specialist Hospital, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Emesis gravidarum was observed in 290 (85.3%) and 612 (86.2%) booked and unbooked mothers, respectively. While 112 (32.9%) booked mothers had malaria, this ailment was observed in 508 (71.5%) of unbooked mothers. Forty-six (13.5%) booked mothers suffered from anaemia as against 483 (68.0%) unbooked patients. It was observed that preeclampsia manifested in 62 (18.2%) booked and 158 (22.2%) unbooked mothers, while eclampsia occurred in 18 (5.3%) and 66 (9.3%) booked and unbooked mothers, respectively. The rates of premature deliveries were 16.20% in booked mothers and 22.82% in the unbooked group. Other notable complications observed in both groups include premature rupture of fetal membranes (PROM), preterm contractions, antepartum haemorrhage, and urinary tract infections. There were slightly higher frequencies of the above complications in 12-year-olds, and these decreased slightly towards the age of 14 years. Nine of the 10 above observed complications occurred more in the lower socioeconomic classes [3-4] than in the upper social economic classes [1-2] in significant proportions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Obed
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zarma
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mamman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology; D004461:Eclampsia / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006939:Hyperemesis Gravidarum / Q000209:etiology; D008288:Malaria / Q000209:etiology; D009549:Nigeria; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000209:etiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors