PREGNANCY AND DELIVERY IN A GROUP OF ISRAELI TEENAGERS. A CASE-CONTROLLED STUDY

OBJECTIVE: To assess characteristics of an Israeli group of nulliparous teenagers and to compare selected variables of their course and outcome of pregnancy with controls. METHODS: Hospital records of 46 consecutive nulliparous teenagers younger than 17.5 years who delivered during a ten-year period and 84 matched adult controls were reviewed. RESULTS: The majority of the teenagers were older than 15 years, married and most were born in Israel or in the former Soviet Union with no obvious socio-economical deprivation. The rate of prenatal follow-up, hypertensive disorders, type of analgesia during labor and mode of delivery were similar in teenagers and controls. A statistically non-significant higher rate of anemia (hemoglobin, 10 gr%), preterm delivery and low birth weight were observed in teenagers. Only the rate of induction of labor and the rate of a hemoglobin level higher than 12 gr% were significantly lower in teenagers. CONCLUSIONS: The course and outcome of pregnancy were in most respects similar in this group of nulliparous teenagers and matched adult controls.