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

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 Yaoundé Central 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 (38.46±2.72 versus 38.13±3.19 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 2984.80±647.81 versus 3190.72±645.45
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.