Prevalence, Outcome and Associated Factors among Adolescents Delivering at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital

Abstract

Globally, almost one in five women aged 20 to 24 (19 %) had a live birth by their 18th birthday. Adolescent pregnancies and deliveries are universally recognized to be associated with many complications. Although many studies have been done on adolescent mothers globally, not much has been documented on the prevalence, outcomes and associated factors especially in Uganda. This study aimed at finding out the prevalence of adolescent deliveries, delivery outcomes and potential factors influencing these outcomes among adolescent mothers at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH), in Southwestern Uganda. We conducted a cross sectional study at MRRH between June and October 2015. We consecutively sampled 786 adolescent mothers within 24 hours postpartum and obtained their characteristics and delivery outcomes. The prevalence of adolescent deliveries at MRRH was 23.4% of all deliveries. Majority of the participants were aged 18-19 years (median 18.5years, standard deviation 0.87).  Majority had only attained primary education and almost all (90.5%) were married. Most had an average of 3 antenatal care visits, delivered by spontaneous vaginal delivery (59.4%). Caesarian section rate was 39.4% with the main indication of contracted pelvis (45.8%).  Majority had good fetal outcome (80.7%) while 50.2% of mothers had poor outcome. The main obstetric complication was perineal tears (32.6%) followed by prolonged labour (23%). Being referred and delivery by vacuum delivery remained significantly associated with poor outcomes while episiotomy and delivery by Caeserian section were protective. The prevalence of adolescent deliveries at MRRH is high with most of adolescent mothers having poor sociodemographic characteristics. Commonest poor maternal outcome was perineal tears followed by prolonged labour. Fetal outcomes were good. Being referred and delivery by vacuum delivery were associated with poor outcomes while episiotomy and delivery by Caeserian section were associated with good fetal outcome.

Keywords: adolescent delivery, delivery outcome, maternal outcome, fetal outcome, associated factors