complications of pregnancy in adolescent and young adult mothers in a maternity hospital in tehran

this one year retrospective study was conducted in mirza kuchak khan maternity hospital, tehran, 1989-1990, to compare complications of pregnancy in adolescent (below 20 years old ) and young adult (20-24 years old) mothers. the results were as follows: 14.4% of all the deliveries during the period of study were adolescent mothers. the proportions of the following complications were higher in the adolescent group than in the adult group: prematurity(8 times) cephalo-pelvic disproportion (cpd) (2.5 times) , preeclampsia , eclampsia , bleeding and breech presentation. the proportion of late fetal deaths was higher in adolescent mothers (15.7 0/00) than in adult mothers (7.7 0/00). in addition, the proportion of neonatal deaths in adolescent mothers was also higher. there was a statistically significant correlation between age of mothers and neonatal weight.