A comparative study of pregnancy outcome between teenage pregnancy and older reproductive age group in a rural University Teaching Hospital of Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: Teenage pregnancy is a common public health problem worldwide and is considered as high-risk pregnancy in terms of health of both mother and child. The objective of this study was to find the incidence and outcome of teenage pregnancy in comparison to older women who delivered in Karnali Academy of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital.

Methods: This is a hospital based cross-sectional comparative study conducted in Labor Unit of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, Jumla over a period of one year from July 2016 to June 2017. The hospital data was retrieved and divided into two groups i.e. teenagers and older age and was compared in terms of incidence and maternal and fetal outcome of pregnancy. The data were analyzed using software package SPSS 16.

Results: This study showed that incidence of teenage pregnancy was 24.14%. Maternal and fetal complication like eclampsia / preeclampsia (7.63% vs. 0.44%), cesarean section (44.44% vs. 7.96%) preterm delivery (15.97 % vs. 1.10%), small for gestational age (29.86% vs. 3.31%) and intrauterine fetal death (9.72% vs. 0.66%) occurred more frequently in teenagers in comparison to older age. Similarly, there was increased incidence of congenital anomalies (5.55% vs. 0.44%) among the neonates born to teenage mothers.

Conclusion: Incidence of teenage pregnancy in rural and resource-limited part of the country is high, which predispose them into increased risk of maternal and fetal complications like increased incidence of eclapsia / preeclampsia, cesarean section rate, prematurity and its complications, small for gestational age, congenital anomalies and intrauterine fetal death.