TITLE:
The Epidemiologic and Maternal and Fetal Prognosis of Teenage Girls
AUTHORS:
Leon Mubikayi
KEYWORDS:
Childbirth, Teenage Girls, Caesarean Section
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.10 No.3,
March
26,
2020
ABSTRACT: Objective:To identify the epidemiologic profile of the teenage mother; determine the frequency of teenage deliveries at CHME/Monkole; identify the most common obstetric complications during childbirth in adolescents; and evaluate the maternal and fetal prognosis of teenage birth in our environment.Methods:We conducted a descriptive study with a retrospective approach using records of teenage births admitted to the CHME/Monkole maternity between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2017.Results:The overall rate of teenage delivery was 3.9%. 2016 saw a high rate of 55.2%. The average age was 18.2 years old, and the age group 17-19 was the most affected. The commune of Mont-Ngafula had registered more cases than the other communes with 56.7%. The majority of teenage girls who gave birth were primigravida (91%). Urogenital infection was the most common pathology observed duringantenatal care (ANC)visits in teenage pregnancies (25.4%). Fetal-pelvic disproportion and water loss were the most common reasons for transfer, 15% each. Most pregnancies were completed (73.1%). The delivery was eutocic in 55.2% of cases. The tearing of the soft tissues was the most encountered complication (7.5%). Most newborns (83.6%) had not received neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room. One case of maternal death was registered(1.5%), and two cases of neonatal deaths were noted (3%).Conclusion:Teenage pregnancy is a risk factor for childbirth. The most important risk is presented by a caesarean section following a bony pelvic dystocia and the tearing of the soft tissues during eutocic delivery. Educating young people about family planning remains important to prevent early pregnancies and thus promote girls’ schooling.