Teenage deliveries in Northern Germany: always a risk factor for higher surgical delivery rates?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of young maternal age on labour, intrapartum assessment and delivery mode.


METHODS
A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted of 13,941 deliveries at a tertiary delivery unit between 2000 and 2009. Patients aged less than 18 years were compared with patients aged 18 years or older. The main outcome was defined as mode of delivery. Frequencies and odds ratios for adverse maternal-foetal outcomes were calculated for primiparous women.


RESULTS
Of the deliveries occurring during the study period, 6,863 (49.2%) met the inclusion criteria. A total of 156 deliveries (2.3%) occurred among teenagers less than 18 years and 6,707 among patients 18 years and older. Compared with patients 18 years of age and older, younger maternal age was associated with a higher chance of spontaneous delivery [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.45-2.93] than via operation (vaginal operative delivery: OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.48-2.03; secondary caesarean delivery: adjusted OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.32-0.82).


CONCLUSIONS
Young maternal age at delivery does not represent a risk factor for high surgical delivery rates.
Beyer
Daniel Alexander
DA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Schleswig-Holstein University, Campus Luebeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Luebeck, Germany. daniel.beyer@uk-sh.de
Amari
F
F
Diedrich
K
K
Bohlmann
M K
MK
Weichert
J
J
Hornemann
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001034:Apgar Score; D001724:Birth Weight; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014620:Vacuum Extraction, Obstetrical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult