Teenage pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To study the frequency of teenage pregnancy and its complications as compared to controls.


METHODS
A retrospective case record analysis of 2522 pregnancies, aged below 25 years was carried out, in the Department of Obstetrics, Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital during the period 1 January 1999 to 31st December 1999.


RESULTS
The incidence of teenage pregnancy for 1999 was 6%. Three hundred and eighty five (76%) were carrying their first pregnancy while 42 (8%) mothers had 2 or more previous pregnancies and deliveries. The birth weight was less than 2.5 kg in 109 (21.5%) adolescents, as compared to 187 (9%) of the controls. The rate of instrumental deliveries and cesarean section in adolescents was 9% and 6% as compared to 5% and 10% in the controls. Seventy nine (16%) of adolescents delivered prematurely as compared to 216 (11%) of the controls. Forty seven (9%) of adolescents were unbooked compared to 133 (7%) who were controlled. The incidence of pre-eclampsia and preterm delivery in adolescents was 2% and 16% as compared to 1% and 11% in the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Teenage pregnancy, which showed a steady decline from 18% in 1979 to 6% in 1999 was associated with a significantly higher risk of preterm delivery, pre-eclampsia, low birth weight and instrumental delivery.
Mesleh
R A
RA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital, PO Box 7897, Riyadh 11159, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Al-Aql
A S
AS
Kurdi
A M
AM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000208:ethnology / Q000502:physiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000208:ethnology