Shahina Ishtiaq, Urooj Malik, Qurat-ul Ain Bugio, Sumbul Gajani.
Contraception knowledge and pregnancy outcomes in adolescent Pakistani mothers.
Pak J Surg Jan ;32(4):278-82.

Objective: To assess frequency of maternal and perinatal complications in teenagers and to investigate their knowledge and use of contraceptive methods. Setting: Department of Obstetrics and gynecology, Kemari Campus which is affiliated with Ziauddin University Period: One year from 1st January 2013 to 1st January 2014. Study design: Th is was a prospective cross sectional study. Methodology: Teenagers aged 13-19 years with a singleton pregnancy who delivered during this period were interviewed during their stay in the post natal ward. They were asked regarding demographic information like ethnicity, educational status, age at marriage and delivery and antenatal care provision. Knowledge about contraception and use and the method of contraception if ever practiced were also assessed. Maternal and perinatal complications including perinatal death were recorded. Result: According to our study results, the mean age at marriage of our study participants was 15 years and mean age of teenage mothers was 17.8 years. 73% had no knowledge about any contraceptive method, 20% had knowledge but never practiced contraception and only 5% practiced contraception. 71% delivered vaginally while 25% had cesarean section and 3.5% had miscarriage before 24 weeks. 28.5% teenagershad no complication during ante, intra and post partum period, 38.5% were anemic, 6% went in preterm labour, 4.5% had PIH, 1.5% were pre-eclamptic, placental abruption occurred in 2% and GDM in 5.5%. Post-partum depression complicated 18.5% of our teenagers. Conclusion: Teenage pregnancies are high risk pregnancies with increased maternal and perinatal morbidity. Furthermore, they are not aware of appropriate contraceptive methods. Awareness thus needs to be created among teenagers regarding effective contraceptive use.

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