Abstract
Purpose
To evaluate the impact of young maternal age on labour, intrapartum assessment and delivery mode.
Methods
A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted of 13,941 deliveries at a tertiary delivery unit between 2000 and 2009. Patients aged less than 18 years were compared with patients aged 18 years or older. The main outcome was defined as mode of delivery. Frequencies and odds ratios for adverse maternal–foetal outcomes were calculated for primiparous women.
Results
Of the deliveries occurring during the study period, 6,863 (49.2%) met the inclusion criteria. A total of 156 deliveries (2.3%) occurred among teenagers less than 18 years and 6,707 among patients 18 years and older. Compared with patients 18 years of age and older, younger maternal age was associated with a higher chance of spontaneous delivery [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.45–2.93] than via operation (vaginal operative delivery: OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.48–2.03; secondary caesarean delivery: adjusted OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.32–0.82).
Conclusion
Young maternal age at delivery does not represent a risk factor for high surgical delivery rates.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Trussell J (1988) Teenage pregnancy in the United States. Fam Plann Perspect 20:262–272
Ventura SJ, Abma JC, Mosher WD, Henshaw SK (2009) Estimated pregnancy rates for the United States, 1990–2005: an update. Natl Vital Stat Rep 58:1–14
Massachusetts Births 2007. Division of Research and Epidemiology, Bureau of Health information, Statistics, Research and Evaluation, Boston, MA. Massachusetts Department of Public Health 2009, online at: http://www.mass.gov/dph/bhsre/resep/resep.htm#birth. Retrieved April 1, 2010
Statistisches Bundesamt der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Auswertung Lebendgeborene nach dem Alter der Mutter 2000–2008. Statistisches Bundesamt Wiesbaden, Germany 2009
Friede A, Baldwin W, Rhodes PH (1987) Young maternal age and infant mortality: the role of low birth weight. Public Health Rep 102:192–199
Brown HL, Fan YD, Gonsoulin WJ (1991) Obstetric complications in young teenagers. South Med J 84:46–48
Fraser AM, Brockert JE, Ward RH (1995) Association of young maternal age with adverse reproductive outcomes. N Engl J Med 332:1113–1117
Davidson NW, Felice ME (1992) Adolescent pregnancy. In: Friedman SB, Fisher M, Schonberg SK (eds) Comprehensive adolescent health care. Quality Medical Publishing Inc, St. Louis, MO, pp 1026–1040
Ketterlinus RD, Henderson SH, Lamb ME (1990) Maternal age, sociodemographics, prenatal health and behavior: influences on neonatal risk status. J Adolesc Health Care 11:423–431
Miettinen OS (1974) Simple interval estimation of risk ratio. Am J Epidemiol 100:515–516
Goldenberg RL, Klerman LV (1995) Adolescent pregnancy-another look. N Engl J Med 332:1161–1162
Picklesimer AH, Jared HL, Moss K, Offenbacher S, Beck JD, Boggess KA (2008) Racial differences in C-reactive protein levels during normal pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 199:523
Blackmore CA, Savitz DA, Edwards LJ, Harlow SD, Bowes WA Jr (1995) Racial differences in the patterns of preterm delivery in central North Carolina, USA. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 9:281–295
Steinfeld JD, Valentine S, Lerer T, Ingardia CJ, Wax JR, Curry SL (2000) Obesity-related complications of pregnancy vary by race. J Matern Fetal Med 9:238–241
Conflict of interest
None.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Beyer, D.A., Amari, F., Diedrich, K. et al. Teenage deliveries in Northern Germany: always a risk factor for higher surgical delivery rates?. Arch Gynecol Obstet 284, 535–538 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-010-1679-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-010-1679-7