Perinatal Outcome in Unbooked Teenage Pregnancies in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria

Abstract EN

Background.

Teenage pregnancy being a high risk condition requires skilled attention for good outcome.

Objectives.

To determine the influence of antenatal care on perinatal outcome in teenage pregnancies in Calabar.

Materials and Methods.

A review of patient records in Calabar was conducted between 1st January, 2006 and 31st December, 2010, to determine perinatal outcome in teenage pregnancy.

Results.

Teenage pregnancy accounted for 644 (6.5%) of the total deliveries with 245 (38.0%) booked while 399 (62.0%) were unbooked.

Teenage mothers contributed significantly to the proportion of women who were delivered without prior antenatal care (χ2=6.360; P<0.05).

The mean duration of labour in booked teenagers was 10.85±4.2 hours, while unbooked teenagers was 23.31±3.6 hours (t-value =77.1039; P<0.05).

There was statistically more caesarean sections among unbooked teenage pregnancies than booked (χ2=36.75; P<0.05).

Stillbirth was statistically significant (χ2=27.096; P<0.05) among unbooked teenagers than booked.

However, early neonatal death was not significantly different between booked and unbooked teenage pregnancies(χ2=0.512; P<0.05).

Conclusion.

Unbooked teenage pregnancies were significantly associated with increased operative intervention and poor perinatal outcome.