Teenage pregnancy outcomes in a rural area of South India: A prospective study

Context: Teenage pregnancy is dangerous for the mother, child and the community, and teenage girls are twice as likely to die of pregnancy and childbirth related complications as opposed to older women. Aims: (1) To know the outcomes of teenage pregnancies. (2) To study the sociodemographic profile of teenage pregnancies. Study Design: A longitudinal study. Study Setting: Vantamuri Primary Health Centre-Rural field practice area of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Belgaum. Materials and Methods: A total of 144 teenage pregnant women, aged between 15 and 19 years were selected and information on sociodemographic variables, and pregnancy outcome was recorded in 3 visits. Statistical Analysis: Percentages and Ratios, Chi-square test to find an association between various study variables. Results: In the current study majority, 66.0% participants were of 18-19 years age, 90.3% adolescents were housewives and 53.5% had studied high school and beyond. The mean age of marriage was 16 years, and 79.2% of them were primigravidae. Traditional practice (68.8%) was the commonest reason for early marriage, and family pressure (46.5%) was the often cited reason for early pregnancy. Live births were noted in 93.1% teenagers, stillbirths and abortions were present in 4.8% and 2.1% teens respectively. Age and previous pregnancies affected the outcome. Conclusion: The mean age of participants was 17.8 years, and that of marriage was 16 years and this occurrence of pregnancy in teenage leads to adverse outcomes. Thus, periodic Information, Education and Communication activities have to be held, and child marriage act has to be strictly enforced to improve their health.