Pregnancy outcome in teenagers in East Sauterne of Iran.

OBJECTIVE To compare pregnancy outcomes among teenagers in comparison with women of older age groups. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was carried out, comparing pirimiparous pregnant teenager women aged 13-19 years, arranged in to two groups: low teens (< or = 16-years-old ) and high teens (17- 19-years-old), with pirimiparous women aged 20-29 years from January 2003 through January 2005 in Ali-ebne Abitaleb hospital of Zahedan, Iran. Frequency of prenatal care and perinatal outcome (newborn's weight and gestational age at delivery), mode of delivery and any maternal complications were recorded. RESULTS Proportions of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and preterm birth were highest among the infants of mothers aged 19 years or less compared with women aged 20-29 years (P<0.001). Also IUGR and preterm births were highest among the infants of low teen mothers than high teen mothers (P<0.001). The incidence of caesarean section in low teens was higher than high teens (P=0.001), but caesarean was not higher among mothers aged 19 years or less compared with women aged 20-29 years. There was no significant difference in pre eclampsia and placental abruption between all three groups, while frequency of placenta previa was higher in teenage group than older gravidas (P=0.001). CONCLUSION In this homogenous population, preterm delivery, IUGR and placenta previa were higher in teenagers than older gravidas despite of good prenatal care.