Fetomaternal Outcome Of Unbooked Teenage Pregnancy, Who Delivered In A Secondary Level Hospital
Teenage pregnancy is defined as pregnancy after menarche to age of nineteen [1–3]. This period corresponds to a time when there is a gradual transition from childhood to adulthood with potential conflict between biological and social factors [1]. There is also a simultaneous physical, psychological, emotional, and social development [1, 2]. Early marriage and childbearing is still practiced in many parts of Bangladesh. Thus, more than 50% of young women in our country give birth before the age of 20 years. Contraceptive use among married teenagers is equally low because of family pressure for them to become pregnant soon after marriage [3]. The inevitable result of increased sexual activity without contraception among teenagers is unplanned pregnancy. Pregnancy at this age is at risk leads to a vicious cycle of medical, physical, and social problems from which the girl and her fetus can hardly escape [1, 4, 6] Thus such pregnancies are often complicated by hyperemesis, miscarriage, Anaemia, preeclampsia, eclampsia, and prematurity [1, 7]. Labour and delivery may also be complicated by obstructed labour leading to obstetric fistulae, instrumental delivery, caesarean section, rupture uterus, and death [1, 2]. Antenatal care provides an opportunity for pregnancy complications to be diagnosed early and appropriate intervention implied. In developed countries where pregnant teenagers receive adequate antenatal care complications are minimal [2, 8].