Adolescent pregnancy and postpartum contraception - Hospital cases in Tainan city

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare received health care, maternal and neonatal outcomes, method of contraception and the rate of repeat pregnancy between adolescents and adults. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed. One hundred and fifty pregnant teenagers and 150 pregnant adults who delivered at a medical center and eight affiliated clinics participated in this study. Medical data were collected from hospital records and a telephone interview with a standard questionnaire was conducted. Results: In the teenage mothers, the incidence of congenital anomalies, fetal respiratory distress, preterm labour, and stillbirth was 1.3%, 3.3%, 3.3%, and 4.0%; and the incidence of pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), antepartum hemorrage, and premature rupture of membranes (PROM) was 0.7%, 2.0%, and 4.0% respectively. Although a condom was the most popular contraception method for teenagers, 27.3% didn't use any contraception method, and 6.7% were pregnant again six months after delivery. Conclusions: Our study indicated that antenatal and neonatal complication rates were not higher in the teenage mother group than in the adult group. Adolescent pregnancy didn't necessarily lead to a poor outcome physically in an affluent society in this study. However postpartum health education on contraception should be re-enforced to prevent social disadvantages for teenage mothers.