Abstract: Background: Teenage pregnancy is a public and reproductive health issue globally because of its peculiar high risk nature, its burden is however more in the developing countries. This study assessed the socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric and perinatal outcomes among teenage mothers at a tertiary institution in Ekiti State, Nigeria.
Materials and Methods: A retrospective cross sectional study was conducted over 5years on all parturients whose ages were less than 20years and whose pregnancies were 28weeks and above; and delivered at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, between 1st May, 2012 and 30th April, 2017. A comparison was made with pregnant women aged between 20years and 34years selected from the first woman in the birth registry who delivered after each study case and satisfied the inclusion criteria as control.
Results: Teenage mothers were mostly uneducated and unemployed compared to the control group (P<0.050). The pregnancies of teenage mothers were more associated with complications such as anaemia, 12 (12.6%) vs 1 (1.1%); obstructed labour, 10 (10.5%) vs 2 (2.1%); cephalo-pelvic disproportion, 9(9.4%) vs1 (1.1%); preterm delivery, 22 (23.1%) vs 9 (9.6%); and operative delivery (Caesarean section), 26 (27.4%) vs 13 (13.6%) respectively. Similarly teenage mothers perinatal outcomes were poorer compared with older mothers as they had more cases of neonatal complications (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Both the obstetric and perinatal outcomes of teenage mothers were poorer compared to the control group. There is need for concerted efforts by stakeholders to stem the tide of teenage pregnancy in our society.
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