title: Adverse effects of young maternal age on neonatal outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Teenage pregnancy is associated with poor neonatal outcomes, which may burden the young mothers and their families. The aim of this study was to determine the effect young maternal age and single motherhood has on neonatal outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 267 infants born to mothers aged ≤ 21 years in National University Hospital, Singapore, from January 2011 to December 2012. We compared the maternal demographics and neonatal outcomes of single mothers with those of married mothers. The neonatal outcomes of our study cohort were also compared to the hospital's birth cohort during the same period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Unsatisfactory antenatal care was more prevalent among the young single mothers than among the young married mothers (odds ratio [OR] 2.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.71-4.92, p < 0.01). The infants of the young single mothers had a lower mean birth weight (p = 0.01), with a significant proportion weighing < 2.5 kg (OR 2.91, 95% CI 1.35-6.37, p < 0.01). Young maternal age was linked to a higher incidence of prematurity (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.18-2.43, p < 0.01), major congenital defects (OR 4.68, 95% CI 2.10-10.13, p < 0.01), and a perinatal mortality of 18.7 per 1,000 births (OR 3.76, 95% CI 1.26-10.32, p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young single mothers were more likely to have unsatisfactory antenatal care and lighter infants. Young maternal age was associated with a higher risk of prematurity, major congenital malformations and perinatal mortality. More studies are needed to ascertain the cause of these adverse outcomes.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kale
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Level 12, NUHS Tower Block, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119228. le_ye_LEE@nuhs.edu.sg.
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008423:Maternal Age; D009035:Mothers; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D047928:Premature Birth; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012846:Singapore; D015406:Single Parent; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult