Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes Among Adolescents and Mature Women: A Hospital-Based Study in the North of Mexico

Abstract

Study objective: To compare maternal and newborn pregnancy outcomes from adolescents and mature women.

Design, setting, and participants: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a public hospital, including women with singleton pregnancies, who were classified according to their age, as follows: group 1: younger than 16 years old (n = 37), group 2: 16-19 years old (n = 288), and group 3: 20-34 years old (n = 632).

Interventions and main outcome measures: Information on clinical characteristics, gynecological and obstetric history, pregnancy complications, and perinatal outcomes was obtained through interviews and from clinical records.

Results: Thirty-four percent of deliveries were from adolescents. Mature women were more likely to have prepregnancy overweight or obesity than adolescents (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-3.4). The frequency of maternal complications during pregnancy or delivery was not different between groups. Birth asphyxia was more frequent in group 2 (P = .02). Women with inadequate prenatal care had an increased risk of preterm deliveries (OR = 1.64; 95% CI, 1.06-2.54) and of having newborns with low birth weight (OR = 2.02; 95% CI, 1.22-3.35). Weight of newborns from noncomplicated pregnancies was lower in group 1 (P = .02), after adjustment for prepregnancy body mass index, gestational weight gain, preterm delivery, and newborn sex.

Conclusion: The frequency of maternal and perinatal complications was similar in adolescents and mature women. Birth weight was decreased in noncomplicated pregnancies of adolescents younger than 16 years of age. Adequate prenatal care might be helpful in prevention of some adverse perinatal outcomes.

Keywords: Adolescent pregnancy; Asphyxia; Birth weight; Birth weight predictors; Perinatal outcomes; Pregnancy outcomes.