Adverse pregnancy outcomes in cases involving extremely young maternal age

To assess pregnancy outcomes among adolescent girls 16 years old or younger and their newborns.

A cohort study was carried out at Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, using completed charts for 1061 girls aged 16 years or younger (study group) and 1100 women aged 20 to 29 years (reference group) delivered at that hospital between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2010. Demographic data, maternal laboratory investigations, maternal complications, placental complications, medications administered in hospital, and neonatal outcomes were recorded.

Anemia (odds ratio [OR], 1.86; confidence interval [CI], 1.52-2.26); heart disease (OR, 0.38; CI 0.15-0.90), thyroid disorder (OR, 0.054; CI, 0.01-0.40), pulmonary disease (OR, 0.89; CI, 0.41-1.93); medical and obstetrics complications including gestational diabetes mellitus (OR, 0.04; CI, 0.01-0.29), placenta previa (OR 1.04, CI 0.06-16.60), preterm labor (OR, 1.98; CI, 1.55-2.53), as well as mean neonatal weight (2830.77 ± 81.31 g and 3038.53 ± 482.23 g; P=0.001) were different in the 2 groups and the differences were statistically significant.

Adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes were common in the study group. Extensive education about contraception and safe sex on the one hand, and an effective care plan if pregnancy occurs, should be provided to teenage girls to reduce these poor outcomes.