Teenage pregnancy and fetal outcome

Background: pregnancy in teenagers is not free of risks. The risk of low birth weight (LBW) and preterm delivery is particularly high among teenagers. LBW is significantly higher in young teenagers aged 13–19 years. Objectives: Evaluation of fetal outcome in teenage pregnancy in Assiut governorate, Egypt. Patients and methods: This study was conducted in the department of obstetrics and gynecology of Al-Azhar University Hospital (Assiut) Egypt, as a descriptive comparative study that compares the fetal outcome of teenage pregnancy with that of adult pregnancy, in 3 years, retrospective in (2011and 2012) and prospective in (2013).there were a 953 and 1162 woman in a teenage and an adult groups respectively fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Result: There was a significantly increased risk of preterm labor more in teenager group (13.1% vs 3.0% P=0.001) while post term more in Adults group (3.3%vs13.0% P=0.001). On the other hand Low birth weight (LBW), intra uterine growth retardations (IUGR), Neonatal death, intra uterine fetal death (IUFD), low APGAR score: At 1 and 5 min. respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), and admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were significantly increased in teenage group. Conclusion: Teenage mothers are at a higher risk of developing preterm, Low birth weight, IUGR, Neonatal death<48 h, IUFD, low APGAR score: At 1 and 5 min and admission to NICU.