ABSTRACT
To study the frequency of teenage pregnancy and its complications as compared to controls. A retrospective case record analysis of 2522 pregnancies, aged below 25 years was carried out, in the Department of Obstetrics, Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital during the period 1 January 1999 to 31st December 1999. The incidence of teenage pregnancy for 1999 was 6%. Three hundred and eighty five [76%] were carrying their first pregnancy while 42 [8%] mothers had 2 or more previous pregnancies and deliveries. The birth weight was less than 2.5 kg in 109 [21.5%] adolescents, as compared to 187 [9%] of the controls. The rate of instrumental deliveries and cesarean section in adolescents was 9% and 6% as compared to 5% and 10% in the controls. Seventy nine [16%] of adolescents delivered prematurely as compared to 216 [11%] of the controls. Forty seven [9%] of adolescents were unbooked compared to 133 [7%] who were controlled. The incidence of pre-eclampsia and preterm delivery in adolescents was 2% and 16% as compared to 1% and 11% in the controls. Teenage pregnancy, which showed a steady decline from 18% in 1979 to 6% in 1999 was associated with a significantly higher risk of preterm delivery, pre-eclampsia, low birth weight and instrumental delivery