Comparison outcomes of sick babies born to teenage mothers with those born to adult mothers.

BACKGROUND

Adolescent period is the transitional stage of physical and mental development from childhood to adulthood. Pregnancy in teenage girls is generally classified to have a higher risk than those in adults. In many previous studies reported only the outcome of teenage mothers but no comparative outcome between sick babies born to teen mothers and adult mothers, so the authors conducted the present study.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the outcomes of sick infants born to teenage mothers with those born to adult mothers (age > or = 20 years).

MATERIAL AND METHOD

This prospective study was carried out from October 1st, 2006 to September 30th, 2009. The study group consisted of sick babies born to teenage mothers and admitted at Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health (QSNICH). These babies were compared to sick babies (control group) born to adult mothers during the same period. The demographic data of mothers and sick babies in both groups were recorded in the designed case record forms. Developmental assessment was done until two years of age.

RESULTS

A total of 6,342 deliveries took place in Rajavithi Hospital during the study period of which 697 babies were born to teenage mothers. The incidence of teenage pregnancy was 10.99%. The number of sick babies from teenage mothers and adult mothers were 78 and 147 cases, respectively. There was a significantly higher mortality in the study group (7 cases, 9%) than the control group (4 cases, 2.7%). There was statistically significant difference in most of the demographic characteristics between the teenage and adult mothers except anemia, PROM and MSAF (meconium stain amniotic fluid). Although there was a trend of more cases of anemia and MSAF in teenage mothers than in adult mothers, there was no statistically significant difference. There was a shorter interval time from marriage to pregnancy in teen mothers than in adult mothers and a lower number of antenatal care visits with late antenatal care among the teenage mothers too. On comparing the data in infants, the teenage group had more males and a higher blood pressure than those in the adult group. There were significantly more preterm infants and higher cesarean section in the adult group too. Gastroschisis cases were found only in the teenage group. In follow-up cases, more than seventy percent in both groups were assessed for developmental outcome until two years of age. Divorce was found in teen mothers more than in adult mothers (17.54 vs. 3%) and more cases in teenage infants received care in rural areas by grandparents (36.6 vs. 12.6%). Delayed speech was found in more cases in the teen group than in the adult group (12.28 vs. 6%).

CONCLUSION

The number of antenatal care in teenage mothers was less than in standard pregnancy care. Cesarean section rate was lower in teenage mothers than in the adult mothers. Preterm infants were found in more cases in the adult group but gastroschisis was found only in the teenage group. More cases of infants in the teenage group received care in rural areas by grandparents and divorce occurred more in teen mothers than adult mothers.