Risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in young adolescent parturients in an inner-city hospital.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the relationship between adolescence and pregnancy-related outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a population of adolescents delivered in a large inner-city hospital. The study population consisted of 14,718 adolescents and 11,830 nonadolescent controls. Pregnancy outcomes were compared in young adolescents (n = 2930) and mature adolescents (n = 11,788) versus controls.

RESULTS: Adolescents were significantly more likely than controls to be African American, single, diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease during pregnancy, and reside with others (P <.001). Adolescents were significantly more likely than controls to have eclampsia (relative risk [RR] 2.23, 95% CI 1.37-3.66) and preterm delivery (RR 1.12, 95% CI 1.04-1.21). Young adolescents were significantly more likely than controls to have preeclampsia (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.15-1.54), eclampsia (RR 3.24, 95% CI 1.70-6.14), preterm delivery (RR 1.47, 95% CI 1.31-1.64), low-birth-weight delivery (RR 1.47, 95% CI 1.31-1.64), and very-low-birth-weight delivery (RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.01-1.56). Finally, mature adolescents were significantly more likely than controls to have eclampsia (RR 1.99, 95% CI 1.19-3.34).

CONCLUSION: Young adolescents are at increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes.