Retrospective study on the foeto–maternal status of teenage pregnancies in the Dimbulagala MOH area

Abstract

INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: A pregnancy occurring in a young woman who has not reached her 20th birthday is considered as a teenage pregnancy. The impact of consequences of teenage pregnancies in Sri Lanka is not well described. The objective of the study was to assess the foetal and maternal status of teenage pregnancies in the Dimbulagala MOH area. METHODS: A community based retrospective cohort study was carried out in the Dimbulagala MOH area. A sample of 160 teenage mothers was selected. An interviewer-administered pre–tested questionnaire was used to collect the data during the study period. Data was analyzed using SPSS 17 version. RESULTS: Of this sample of teenage mothers, 75.0% (n=120) were aged between 17 and 19 years and their highest educational level was up to grades 6-11. Out of the total sample, 75% had attained puberty before 13 years of age. From this sample, 30% had ante-natal complications in early pregnancy like anaemia, ante-partum complications and PIH. Low birth weight (less than 2.5kg) was seen in 42.1% (n=67). Only 4.4% (n=7) was admitted to the PBU due to foetal complications. CONCLUSION: Though we had an idea that teenagers encounter several problems in foetal and maternal life, this study showed those parameters were not above the national average. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate the foeto-maternal status in the future.