Study of the Maternal and Neonatal Prognosis during Teenage Childbirth at the University Teaching Hospital of Libreville-Gabon

Introduction: This study aimed to assess neonatal and teen mother’s prognosis when giving birth in our structure and to determine the frequency of teen mothers.

Method: This case-control study involved mothers and their newborn children in the neonatology and neonatal intensive care unit at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Libreville, Gabon, from January 1st 2010, to December 31st 2012. Teen mothers of less than 18 years old were compared to adult mothers of 18 years old and more. Maternal and sociodemographic factors, pregnancy monitoring, gyneco-obstetrical antecedents, morbidity and intercurrent pathologies during pregnancy, the pregnancy type, the presentation, the mode and practices of delivery were analyzed. The newborn characteristics involved gender, birth weight, gestational age, APGAR score at first and fifth minute, morbidity and mortality aspects, resuscitation procedures and related pathologies and hospitalization delay.

Results: The frequency of teen mothers giving birth was 13.5%. Compare to adult mothers, most of teen mothers were students (79.5%, p<0,001), primigests (82.1%, p<0,001), the pregnancy follow-up was insufficient (82.1%, p<0,001) and delivery was vaginal (88.5%, p=0.04). Morbidity and mortality rates of teen mothers’ newborns did not differ from adult mothers babies.

Conclusion: Our study did not reveal any statistical association between the teen mother’s delivery and poor maternal or ante-natal prognosis. It raised the issue of preventing early pregnancy through education for young girls and contraception, of increasing awareness of teen mothers to attend Maternal and Child Health Centres and being taken care of by skilled childbirth staff and adapted support.

Author(s): Julienne Isabelle Minko, Mylène Mimbila-Mayi, Steeve Minto’o*, Aude Lembet Mikolo, Laure Ngonde, Jean Koko and Simon Ategbo

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