[Placental lesions in teenager`s pregnancies of a public hospital of Argentina].
BACKGROUND
In Argentina, 18.3% of all births are related to adolescent mothers. Adolescent pregnancy has been associated with an increase of adverse perinatal outcomes. Placental examination helps to identify etiology and predict recurrence of perinatal pathologies. The aim of this study was to describe placental weight and placental lesions and to estimate the risks of adolescent pregnancies compared with young adults mothers.


METHODS
We examined 50 placentas from adolescent mothers (greater than 16 yrs, n = 18 and 17-19 yrs, n = 32) and 101 placentas from adults mothers between 20 and 29 years old attending the Sarda' Maternity Hospital of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Conventional methods were used for macroscopic and histological examination.


RESULTS
No differences were found in placental weights. In half of examined placenta one or more lesions were present, predominantly in adolescents (p = 0.327). In greater than 16 ys placental lesions represented 77.78 % (14/18, 95% CI 54 - 91), in older teenagers 34.3% (11/32, 95% CI 20 - 51) (OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.32 - 3.38, p = 0.003), whereas in young adults figure was 41.5% (42/101, [95% CI 32 - 51]), a 1.87 (IC 95% 1.33 - 2.62, p = 0.004) and 0.83 (IC 95% 0.49 - 1.41, p = 0.469) crude risks of both adolescents' groups compared with adults, respectively. Adjusted risk for placental lesions was four folds higher in adolescent at or below 16 years (p = 0.018).


CONCLUSIONS
No differences were found in placental weights Younger teenagers (≤ 16 year age) have an increased risk for having placental lesions.
Hospital Materno Infantil Ramón Sardá, Unidad Anatomía Patológica, División Obstetricia, Epidemiología Perinatal y Bioestadística. Luca 2151 (1259), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Cintia
C
Hernandorena
Juan Sebastian
JS
Garcia
Victoria
V
Cavoti-Sadonio
Carlos
C
Grandi
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008423:Maternal Age; D009929:Organ Size; D010920:Placenta / Q000473:pathology*; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000209:etiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult