Comparison of the risk factors for adverse perinatal outcomes in adolescent age pregnancies and advanced age pregnancies.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate clinical outcomes of pregnancies in adolescent, advanced and reproductive women maternal age. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 187 pregnant women were included into the study 51 (27.27%) were adolescent pregnancies, mean age 17.7 +/- 3.3 years (range, 14-18 years), 40 (21.29%) advanced maternal age pregnancies, mean age 41.4 +/- 2.6 years (range, 39-50 years) and 96 (51.33%), healthy controls, mean age 28.8 +/- 4.3 years (range, 19-37 years). The majority of the adolescent pregnant women were nulliparous, while all of the advanced age pregnant women were multiparous (mean gravidity 4.5 +/- 2.4; range, 6-12). Mean gravidity of the control group was 3.6 +/- 1.7 (range, 1-12). RESULTS There was statistically significant difference among the groups regarding demographic characteristics. According to the Bonferroni method, there was statistically significant difference among the three groups. Adverse fetal features were statistically different among the groups and the odd ratios were higher in the advanced maternal age group. The odds ratios (95% CI) for lower Apgar scores (Apgar score 1 and 5) and low birth weight in adolescent maternal age and advanced maternal age group were as follows: 1.88 (1.27-2.78) vs. 2.46 (1.55-3.85), 2.17 (1.18-4.00) vs. 4.79 (3.02-6.69) and 1.39 (1.14-1.68) vs. 3.06 (1.59-5.88), respectively Gestational age at birth showed minimal risk for adolescent age group but no risk was noted in the advanced age group. CONCLUSIONS The present study showed that pregnancies in adolescent maternal age, advanced maternal age and reproductive maternal age are different from each other in terms of clinical characteristics. According to this study advanced maternal age pregnancies are more risky and more likely to have adverse fetal outcome.