Characteristics and risk factors for adverse birth outcomes in pregnant black adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To describe maternal characteristics and birth outcomes in a group of pregnant minority adolescents and to characterize the impact of maternal age (<15 years versus 15-17 years) on birth outcomes.


METHODS
A 10-year retrospective chart review was conducted in 1120 pregnant black adolescents (< or =17 years of age) who had received prenatal care at an inner-city maternity clinic in Baltimore, Md.


RESULTS
Pregnant black adolescents had a higher incidence of low birth weight infants, preterm delivery, and fetal death compared with normative data from the United States. Younger adolescents were more likely to have inadequate utilization of prenatal care (P<.01). Older adolescents had a higher incidence of gonorrhea infections (P=.046), greater rates of self-reported substance abuse (P=.063), and a higher history of cigarette smoking (P<.01). Low prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), inadequate weight gain, and poor prenatal care utilization were strong independent predictors of preterm birth (P<.05). Low prepregnancy BMI, inadequate weight gain, female infant, and self-reported cigarette smoking history were significantly associated with decreased infant birth weight (P<.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Pregnant black adolescents had increased risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes. This population should be studied further to develop age-appropriate and population-specific interventions to improve birth outcomes.
Chang
Shih-Chen
SC
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Room 2041, Baltimore, MD 21205-2179, USA.
O'Brien
Kimberly O
KO
Nathanson
Maureen Schulman
MS
Mancini
Jeri
J
Witter
Frank R
FR
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008423:Maternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders