Reproductive and obstetric characteristics of adolescent pregnancies in Turkish women.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate reproductive and obstetric characteristics of adolescent pregnancies in Turkish population.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Social Security Agency (SSK) Aegean Obstetrics and Gynecology Teaching Hospital (tertiary referral center).


METHODS
One thousand and eight hundred adolescent pregnant women who referred to our center, between January 12, 2002 and March 15, 2003. The adolescent age group was defined as young women between the ages of 13 and 19.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Socio-demographic characteristics, contraceptive histories, sexually transmitted infections (STI), and obstetric outcomes of the patients.


RESULTS
Mean age was 17.3 (range 13-19) years. Among all adolescent pregnancies 1368 (76%) cases were planned, and 1512 (84%) cases were married. Approximately 70% of the patients with a non-planned pregnancy were not using any contraceptive methods. Although there were no patients with HIV infection, there were a considerable percentage of patients with positive cervical screening tests for Human Papilloma Virus (8.05%). A majority of adolescent mothers (77%) lacked prenatal care; mean gestational week at the first prenatal visit of the patients taking prenatal care was 28.2 (range 6-39) weeks. There were 249 (13.83%) abortions. Mean gestational age at delivery was 36 +/- 2 (range 25-41) weeks. The most common obstetric complication was low birth weight (28.72%).


CONCLUSIONS
Adolescent pregnancy rate in Turkey is similar to those in developed countries. However, there are considerable differences which possible reflect ethnic and socio-cultural differences, in between two populations. Our major problems seem to be the low rate of previous effective contraceptive use for unintended adolescent pregnant women and the high rate of inadequate prenatal care for adolescent pregnant women, even if their pregnancies are intended.
Yildirim
Yusuf
Y
SSK (Social Security Agency), Aegean Obstetrics and Gynecology Teaching Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Izmir, Turkey. Ykuzeyli@mynet.com
Inal
M Murat
MM
Tinar
Sivekar
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology