Prevalence of high-grade perineal tear during labor in Mexican adolescents.

INTRODUCTION

There is a high rate of deliveries in adolescents in Mexico. This age group is vulnerable to obstetric complications, including lacerations of the anal sphincter.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of third and fourth degree perineal tears in adolescents during childbirth, and to evaluate risk factors in comparison with deliveries with lacerations of adult women.

METHODS

All obstetric care episodes were reviewed from a public tertiary hospital data in Monterrey, Mexico in 2014. Age, primiparity, delivery instrumentation, episiotomy, body mass index, product weight and tear´s degree were documented at the deliveries with tears of third and fourth degree.

RESULTS

The prevalence of third and fourth degree tears of 2.0% was found in the general population, being adolescents the most affected with 2.5%. The unadjusted odds ratio of high-grade tears in adolescent females at delivery, compared to adult females, was 1.36 (95% CI = 0.99-1.86, p= 0.05). No difference was found when comparing risk factors among high-grade tear deliveries in adolescents versus adults.

CONCLUSIONS

A higher prevalence than previous reported for high grade tears during delivery was found. The data suggest adolescence as a risk factor for high-grade tears during delivery.