Decisions of Pregnant Adolescents Towards Antenatal Care Attendance and Their Immediate Postpartum Adaptation: Comparison between Students and Other Occupations

Adolescent pregnancy is risky with multiple complications during pregnancy and the delivery period. Adolescent pregnancy among students is more risky because the mothers did not intend to get pregnant, have poor relationship with the husband and do not take care of their child themselves as in other occupations.

The decisions of adolescent mothers towards antenatal care (ANC) attendance and their postpartum adaptation; comparing students with other occupations

This retrospective hospital-based study used data from the records of 777 adolescent mothers who attended the adolescent postpartum clinic at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital from January 2012 to December 2013. The data were classified into students and other occupation groups. Their decisions for ANC attendance, spousal relationship, pregnancy intentions, family acceptance and postpartum adaptation (contraceptive decision, decision for taking care of baby and returning to study) from both groups were compared and analyzed.

The prevalence of student mothers was 63.3% of all adolescent pregnancies. The following factors were more common in student mothers with statistical significance, odd ratio (95% confidence interval): unintended pregnancy 3.66 (2.45-5.47), family non-acceptance 1.71 (1.03-2.93), poor ANC (no ANC and ANC after 12 weeks) 22.82 (14.33-37.34). Other factors including no ANC attendance, decision for taking care of the baby, contraceptive decision (before and after deliveries), and the contraceptive method was no different between the groups. After delivery, adolescents decided to return to their studies; 58.7% for students and 33.3% for other occupation groups.

Students account for 63.3% of all adolescent pregnancies. None of them was married so the majority did not intend to be pregnant and not be accepted by their families, leading to poor ANC attendance. Half of them decided to return to their studies. Further studies should be prospectively performed at schools to see the true prevalence of pregnancy and the related factors such as pregnancy termination, withdrawal from school and the continuation of their studies.