The problems associated with adolescent pregnancy in Romania: A cross‐sectional study

• Published in: Journal of evaluation in clinical practice 2019-02, Vol.25 (1), p.117-124
• Main Authors: Dimitriu, Mihai, Ionescu, Cringu Antoniu, Matei, Alexandra, Viezuina, Roxana, Rosu, George, Ilinca, Corina, Banacu, Mihai, Ples, Liana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; adolescent pregnancy; Age; Alcohol; APGAR score; caesarean section; Cesarean Section - statistics & numerical data; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drug use; Female; Humans; Needs Assessment; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Pregnancy; Pregnancy in Adolescence - prevention & control; Pregnancy in Adolescence - statistics & numerical data; Prenatal Care - methods; Prenatal Care - standards; Risk Assessment - methods; Risk Factors; Romania - epidemiology; Socioeconomic Factors; substance abuse; Substance use disorder; Teenage pregnancy; Teenagers; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1356-1294; 1365-2753
• DOI: 10.1111/jep.13036

Rationale The extent of pregnancy in adolescents and young adults, especially in low and middle‐income countries, is a source of increasing concern given its social and economic impact. Aims and Objective We hypothesized that there would be correlations between female patients becoming pregnant at a young age and practices such as harmful alcohol misuse, cigarette smoking, and drug use, the use of toxic substances, low educational attainment, and an essential absence of health care seeking about the outcome of adolescent pregnancies. Methods We performed a prospective cross‐sectional study of patients who gave birth between August and November 2017 at St. Pantelimon Emergency Hospital in Bucharest, Romania. Seventy‐four patients aged 14 to 20 years, with a mean maternal age of 18.07 years, were enrolled in the study and answered a 15‐item questionnaire about their social, educational, and medical background. Results Fifty‐three patients (71.6%) gave birth by caesarean section and 21 (28.3%) by vaginal delivery. Notably, patients aged 14 to 16 years had a lower rate of caesarean delivery compared with those aged 17 to 20 years. Moreover, 83.0% of the caesarean sections and 76.1% of the vaginal deliveries were at term. With reference to age and type of delivery, women are more likely to give birth by caesarean section at any age group (the association is not statistically significant at P 17 years. The percentage of female participants who underwent a caesarean delivery for their second pregnancy was significantly higher than compared with primipara participants. Patients receiving consistent antenatal care visits compared with those who did not monitor their pregnancy did not differ in the likelihood of undergoing a caesarean section.