Author(s)

Pierre Marie Tebeu, Inoussa Nsangou, Philippe Nana Njotang, Paul Théodore Tjek Biyaga, Anderson Sama Doh, Joseph Nelson Fomulu

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In a previous study at the Yaoundé-Cameroon University Centre Hospital, we found that delivery at extreme ages of reproductive health was associated with several fetal and maternal risks. We conducted this study aimed at testing the hypothesis that deliveries by teenagers were associated with increased risk. Data collection was retrospective from delivery room registers at between 01/01/1996 and 31/12/2000. Data were collected in singleton pregnancies. The identification of each nulliparous woman aged less than 17 years was followed by that of 4 nulliparous women aged 20 - 29 years following her in the order of delivery. Since it was possible to have consecutive nulliparous teenage pregnancies before four deliveries in women in their twenties, we finally compared 65 cases of teenagers delivery with 218 cases of delivery in women aged 20 - 29 years. The difference was considered significant if p value was less than 0.05. Odd ratio with 95% confidence interval was used to measure the effect of age on the major outcomes. At univariate analysis, the risk of delivery by caesarean section for teenagers (21.5%) was significantly high compared to women in their twenties (11.5%), (OR: 2.1; 95%CI: 1.0 - 4.1; p = 0.041). Similar observation was found for stillbirth delivery with 12.3% by teenagers compared to 5.0% by women in their twenties (OR: 2.7; 95%CI: 1.0 - 7.1; p = 0.044). The risk of premature delivery by teenagers (30.8%) was also significantly increased compared to women in their twenties (12.4%) (OR: 3.6; 95%CI: 1.8 - 7.1; p = 0.0002). After adjustment for different factors associated with the occurrence of several risks, only pre term delivery remained significantly increased at teenage (OR: 3.7; 95%CI: 1.8 - 7.6; p = 0.003). These findings underscore the importance of public health programs in preventing the pregnancy in teenagers, and in developing age-appropriate intervention.

Adolescent; Delivery; Risk

Tebeu, P. , Nsangou, I. , Njotang, P. , Biyaga, P. , Doh, A. and Fomulu, J. (2011) Outcome of delivery in nulliparous teenagers aged less than 17 years: the cameroon university centre hospital experience. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1, 47-52. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2011.12010.