Maternal Complications Associated with Primiparous Adolescent Pregnancies

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Adolescent pregnancy is linked to higher maternal and neonatal morbidity, especially with insufficient prenatal care.
• Understanding complication patterns in adolescent pregnancies is vital for clinical management and improved outcomes.
• Primiparous adolescents represent a key demographic for studying pregnancy-related risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess maternal and obstetrical complications in primiparous adolescent patients (≤18 years).
• To compare complication frequencies between adolescents with adequate and inadequate prenatal care.
• To identify common complications and their distribution based on antenatal care status.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational study design.
• Inclusion of primiparous adolescent patients (≤18 years).
• Comparison of maternal and obstetrical complications between adequate and inadequate prenatal care groups.

Main Results:

• Maternal infections were more prevalent in adolescents without adequate prenatal care (24.1% vs. 9.3%, p=0.039).
• Hemorrhage was significantly more frequent in adolescents with adequate prenatal care (59.3% vs. 35.2%, p=0.012).
• Cephalopelvic disproportion was associated with inadequate prenatal care (p=0.034); hypertensive disorders, placenta previa, and placental abruption were observed only in this group.

Conclusions:

• Adolescents without adequate prenatal care experienced higher rates of maternal and obstetrical complications, particularly infections.
• Adequate prenatal monitoring facilitated earlier identification and management of risks.
• Improving access to antenatal care for adolescents is essential for reducing pregnancy complications.