School age pregnancies in western Nigeria: parents and products

Thirty-three babies and their mothers, all school girls, identified out of a total of 576 admissions to the Paediatric unit of the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa , Nigeria over a three month period were studied. Twenty (60.0%) of the babies were newborn, nine (45%) of whom were premature. Jaundice and infections were other common diagnoses in the neonates. Among the 13 children aged over one month protein-energy malnutrition, gastroenteritis and pneumonia were the commonest reasons for admission. Of the total 33, five (38.5%) had had previous admissions and two (6%) died. Both the numbers of premature neonates and of malnourished older children born to young mothers were significantly higher than those of similar aged admissions born to older mothers (P less than 0.001, in both cases). Thirty-two (97%) mothers were unmarried teenagers and there was a disparity between the academic classes and ages at conception in 15 (45.4%) of the mothers. Whilst significant numbers of the mothers were poorly adjusted to the demands of motherhood, varying numbers of the fathers were young, unemployed, in school and negative in their attitudes to the pregnancies and their products. Suggestions are offered for meeting the challenges posed by school age pregnancy and parenthood in a developing country.