Teenage pregnancy: social pandemic!. (18th April 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Selvakumari, N; Amu, O; Brook, J
• Is Part Of: Archives of disease in childhood. Volume 97(2012)Supplement 1
• Page Start: A123
• Page End: A123
• Publication Date: 2012-04-18
• Subjects: Infants -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Newborn infants -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Fetus -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 618.920105
• DOI: 10.1136/fetalneonatal-2012-301809.401
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-2998

Abstract

Abstract : A study undertaken to identify the risk factors associated with teenage girls who decide to continue the pregnancy and among teenage girls who decide to terminate the pregnancy. Method: Data collected from the records of teenage mothers who delivered between Nov 2009 to November 2010. Data was also collected from the database of the teenage girls who underwent abortion in Termination clinic. Results: There were 119 teenage mothers who continued the pregancies. Among them drugs 14%, alcohol 4%, smoking at the time of booking, 53% homeless, 1% domestic violence, 5% no parental support, 14% excluded from school, 18% social worker before pregnancy, 6% sexually transmitted disease in 16% while one patient had HIV, 64% poor performance in school. 80% patients partner involved in pregnancy, 75% had normal delivery 18% had cesarean section, 7% instrumental delivery. 44% had baby weight between 3.1-3.5 kg, 3% incidence of less than 2.5kg. 75% of patients were using different forms of contraception at eight weeks. We compared the presence of risk factors among 191 teenage girls who underwent termination. Social issues like homelessness, domestic violence, drugs and alcohol issues were snot mentioned in the database. Conclusion: Teenage pregnancies are higher in more deprived areas, the proportion ending in abortion was greater in more affluent areas due to social and parental support. We identified with the provision of dedicated antenatal services and support from the statutory bodies we were able to reduce the complication in the unborn baby in the mothers with chaotic lifestyle.