A Retrospective Study on Fetal Outcome of Deliveries among Teenagers in Centre Region of Cameroon

Florent Ymele Fouelifack; Jeanne Hortence Fouedjio; Jovanny Tsuala Fouogue; Loic Dongmo Fouelifa; Felicitee Dongmo Nguefack; Enow Robinson Mbu

Florent Ymele Fouelifack Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit of the Yaound� Central Hospital, Cameroon and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Higher Institute of Medical Technology of Nkolondom, Yaound�, Cameroon and Research, Education and Health Associative Group GARES-Falaise, Dschang, Cameroon.
Jeanne Hortence Fouedjio Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit of the Yaound� Central Hospital, Cameroon and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaound� I, Cameroon.
Jovanny Tsuala Fouogue Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaound� I, Cameroon.
Loic Dongmo Fouelifa Faculty of Medicine, University of Lom�, Togo, School of Armies Health Services of Lom�, P.O.Box:14148 Lom�, Togo.
Felicitee Dongmo Nguefack Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and BioMedical Sciences of University of Yaound� I, Cameroon, P.O.Box:1364 Yaounde, Cameroon.
Enow Robinson Mbu Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit of the Yaound� Central Hospital, Cameroon and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaound� I, Cameroon.

Keywords: Adolescent, delivery, fetal outcomes, Centre Region, Cameroon

Abstract

In order to inform public health action, we sought to compare the fetal outcome of adolescent pregnancies with the non-adolescent ones. A total of 6041 deliveries were compared using rates, proportions, means and OR, the fetal outcome of adolescent (10-19 years old) deliveries registered at the YaoundCentral Hospital, to those in their non-adolescent counterparts.Referred deliveries were significantly higher in adolescent participants compared to their non-adolescent counterparts (6.4% versus 4.3%, OR 1.53 95% CI 1.07-2.20). Non-adolescent pregnancies lasted significantly longer than adolescent pregnancies (38.462.72 versus 38.133.19 weeks respectively, p=.007). The former group had significantly higher rates of premature and post-term: deliveries (29.3% versus 24.5%, p=.041 OR 1.28 95% CI 1.01-1.62 and 4.9 versus 2.4%, p=.014 OR 2.11 95% CI 1.46-3.87 respectively. Babies born of adolescent mothers weighed significantly less (irrespective of birth order) than those born of non-adolescent mothers (mean weights 2984.80647.81 versus 3190.72645.45 grams, p<.001). The odds of both apparent and perinatal deaths was significantly higher in the adolescent group (AOR 1.75, 95% CI 1.25-2.47 and AOR 1.69 95% CI 1.17-2.45 respectively). Adolescent pregnancies are associated with poor fetal outcome. There is need for counseling and provision of family planning services to reduce their incidence.