Pregnancy in patients under 16 years.

From 1 January 1963 until 31 September 1966 102 primigravidae and one multigravida patient under the age of 16 at conception were delivered in the obstetric unit of St. Helier Hospital, Carshalton. Thirty-three of these patients were booked from a home for pregnant schoolgirls in North Surrey, the remainder being referred from the district general practitioners. During this period a total of 8,366 deliveries were carried out; the incidence of pregnancy in young patients was thus 1.2 %. The youngest patient was aged 11 years and 9 months at conception and the oldest 15 years and 11 months (Table I). The multigravid patient conceived at 13 years 6 months and 15 years 7 months.