A Study of Maternal and Fetal Outcome in Teenage Pregnancy as Compared to 20 to 30 Years age Group at Tertiary Care PBM Hospital, Bikaner

Abstract

Background: World Health Organization defines Teenage Pregnancy as “any pregnancy from a girl who is 10-19 years of age”, the age being defined as, her age at the time the baby is born. Often the terms “Teenage pregnancy” and “Adolescent pregnancy” are used as synonyms.

Aim: To study clinical feto-maternal and epidemiological aspects of teenage pregnancy as compared to 20-30 years age group.

Material & Methods: This was a hospital based prospective comparative study conducted on 200 females which were divided into 2 groups i.e. teenage group and 20-30 years age group during a 1 year period from 1^st Sept 2020 to 31^stAugust 2021 after taking ethical committed approval and informed consent from subject.

Results: Majority of the cases in study group belonged to 19yrs (73%) and 23-25yrs (42%) in control group. Mean BMI in study and control groups were 23.72±2.18 kg/m² and 24.03±3.29 kg/m² (p>0.001). Majority of mothers in both groups had favourable bishop score. Caesarean section was more in study group than that of control group. Mean birth weight in study and control groups were 2.66±0.49kg and 3.04±0.44kg respectively (p<0.001). Neonatal complications were more in study group being low birth weight followed by RDS, sepsis and birth asphyxia respectively while in control group low birth weight followed by MAS, RDS.

Conclusion: We concluded that there is increase in both maternal complications like Anemia, Pre eclampsia, Intra uterine growth restriction, Still births, Preterm deliveries and fetal complications like Low birth weight babies, Respiratory distress syndrome, Perinatal mortality and Birth asphyxia in teenage pregnancy. Therefore Adolescent pregnancy should be discouraged by increasing the age at marriage and providing them quality education, helping in building self confidence and educating the young girls regarding marriage, safe sex, safe motherhood and contraception.

Keywords: Teenage Pregnancy, Caesarean Section, Respiratory Distress Syndrome