Effect of Maternal Age on Pregnancy Outcome

Teenage pregnancy is known as a high risk pregnancy. However, some study show that good prenatal care can decrease the rate of complications. This study was done to evaluate the frequency of preterm labor, still birth, premature rupture of membranes, cesarean section, eclampsia, low birth weight and interest of mother's about the type of delivery. This study was conducted from October 2009 to November 2010 in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Five hundred mothers were followed during their pregnancy and were divided into two groups, under 20 years (teenagers) and-over 20 years. The complications and outcome of pregnancy were evaluated and the collected data was analyzed by SPSS16. Five hundred pregnant women were evaluated during their pregnancy. The mean age of teenage women was 18.12 ± 1.11 years and the mean age of over 20-years mothers was 26.53 ± 3.08 years. 15(6%) teenage women have experienced eclampsia, while only 4(1.6%) women over 20 years old had eclampsia (P = 0.01). This study showed that teenage pregnancy has more complications than older age, and more education is needed to reduce this type of pregnancy.