Young teenagers and child birth

Abstract

In a retrospective analysis done at TU Teaching Hospital between 15 Aug 1997 and 14 Aug 1998, 57 teenage mothers (13-17 years) represented twenty per thousand deliveries (total deliveries, 2799).

The usual documented complications like prematurity and low-birthweight were seen in 16% and 24.5% respectively. Pregnancy complication such as eclampsia was seen in one case that delivered a low birthweight baby with poor apgar.

Most of these young mothers had vaginal deliveries (86%). The caesarean section rate was 14%, which could have been further lowered,
if there were no complications like foetal distress (3) and abnormal presentation (2).

Excepting a case of pregnancy that occurred in a 13-year old girl due to sexual abuse, all the other pregnancies followed marriage. This indicates that adolescent reproductive health is a neglected arena requiring some change. Hence full attention has yet to be focused on adolescent reproductive health, particularly directed towards preventing early marriage and early child bearing which is detrimental to adolescent reproductive health.