[Profile and characteristics of pregnant adolescents in Madagascar]

Madagascar's population is predominantly young: those under 15 years account for 45% of the total population, and their number is expected to double again by 2025. First pregnancies accelerate particularly between the ages of 15 and 19 years among Malagasy teens. It seemed essential to know the profile of pregnant adolescents receiving care at a level-2 maternity hospital in the capital so that care and social services can be adapted to meet their specific needs. We found that teenagers accounted for 16.04% of the admissions to this maternity ward. Although more than half had used contraception at some point (most often condoms), most had not planned and did not want this pregnancy. The overall fetal loss rate was 9.77%, and the rate of complicated induced abortions 4.23%. Nearly three quarters (73.15%) of the teens had regular prenatal care. The preterm delivery rate was 3.25%. Promoting reproductive health education and preventing teenage pregnancy are urgent public health policy priorities in Madagascar.