Comparing adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in adolescent versus adult mothers in Sub-Saharan Africa

Objective: Adolescent pregnancy is a major social and public health problem that burdens affected families, the communities and societies globally. It has been associated with a higher prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to pregnancy in adults. To compare adverse pregnancy outcomes in adolescents (13–19 years) and those in adults (20 to 35 years) at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana and investigate the associated factors among adolescents. Methods: This comparative study involved 110 adolescents (13–19 years) and 220 adults (20 to 35 years) who delivered at the Maternity Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital between November 2016 and February 2017. Participants were recruited using the convenience sampling method. After study protocol was explained to the parturient, informed voluntary consent and assent were obtained. Participants who met the inclusion criteria were recruited in the study. Sociodemographic characteristics, antenatal and delivery records; and maternal and perinatal outcomes were collected using an interviewer administered questionnaire and the participants’ records. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 16.0. Results: The prevalence of adolescent pregnancies during the study period was 5.1%. Compared to adults, adolescents were about 3 times more likely to have eclampsia although preeclampsia occurred more in adults. Adolescents that resided in sub-urban dwellings were more likely to have an adverse perinatal outcome compared to their adult counterparts. Conclusion: Our study found that, in addition to their socioeconomic and biophysical disadvantages, adolescents were likely to have exceptionally high risk of eclampsia.