Outcome of pregnancy in adolescent mothers in Mile Four Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State

Abstract

Background of the study : This study was undertaken because of the observed worrisome high number of adolescent mothers who delivered in the Mile IV Hospital, Abakaliki. Objectives: The study was undertaken to determine the hospital incidence of adolescent pregnancy and their pregnancy outcomes. Materials and methods : All adolescent pregnancies booking over a one year period were followed up till delivery. The outcome measures were antenatal complications, foetal presentations, mode of delivery, postpartum complications, foetal outcomes and birth weight. Results : The hospital incidence of adolescent pregnancy was 5%. Sixty-eight percent of the mothers were married. Malaria in pregnancy was expectedly the leading antenatal complication and the Caesarean Section rate was 11%. The relative risk for episiotomy in this group of mothers was 0.25. The maternal mortality rate was 1000 per 100,000 and the perinatal mortality rate was 106.8 per 1000 births. Conclusions : This study shows that the incidence of adolescent pregnancy is high in the centre. The rates of interventional deliveries and episiotomies are increased and the perinatal outcomes are poor. There is the need to discourage the existing cultural feature of childhood marriage in some parts of the State. Orient Journal of Medicine Vol. 18(1&2) 2006: 16-23