A Decade of Adolescent Pregnancy-Risk Assessment-A Tertiary Center Retrospective Analysis.

Background/

Objectives

Adolescent pregnancy, defined as pregnancy occurring between ages 10 and 19, remains a pressing global health concern with significant disparities in prevalence and outcomes across countries. Early and systematic diagnostic screening may allow timely risk stratification and adequate management.

Methods

We conducted this retrospective cohort study at a tertiary referral center from January 2015 through December 2024, including all women who delivered live fetuses at our facility, analyzing adolescent pregnancy outcomes in our region and comparing them with adult pregnancy outcomes.

Results

Younger adolescents have higher rates of vaginal infections (45.3% vs. 38.1%), chorioamnionitis, urinary tract infections (6% vs. 4.9%), preterm birth, higher cesarean section rates, SGA and FGR fetuses, with more frequent NICU admissions than older adolescents. Adolescent pregnancies more often resulted in vaginal births compared to adult pregnancies but also showed higher rates of operative vaginal delivery, episiotomy, perineal tears, vaginal tears, and cervical lacerations. Gestational diabetes and excessive gestational weight gain were overall less common in adolescents, but pre-pregnancy maternal obesity was significantly more prevalent in the older adolescent group than in the younger ones. Gestational hypertension was about twice as frequent in adult pregnancies, while HELLP syndrome was approximately six times more common in adults than in adolescents.

Conclusions

In summary, adolescent pregnancy presents both potential biological advantages and notable disadvantages, with outcomes resulting from the complex interplay of biological immaturity and socioeconomic factors. These results highlight the critical importance of implementing comprehensive early diagnostic screening protocols and structured antenatal care to facilitate earlier identification and mitigation of modifiable risk factors to improve both maternal and fetal outcomes.