Obstetric outcomes and antenatal access among adolescent pregnancies in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Background: Pregnancy among adolescents in South Africa is a growing concern as it may be associated with adverse socio-economic and health impacts. Timeous initiation and optimal utilisation of antenatal care (ANC) services is imperative to ensure positive pregnancy outcomes. However, this is not always possible owing to various challenges.Methods: A multi-method study design using both retrospective record review and qualitative interviews was undertaken at a district hospital on the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Data on ANC attendance trends and obstetric/perinatal outcomes for all recorded adolescent pregnancies (13–16 years) at the district hospital under study was collected over 3 years (2011–2013) (n = 314). Qualitative interviews with randomly selected pregnant adolescents were conducted to assess experiences of ANC access and utilisation.Results: Late ANC booking and reduced ANC visits were common for adolescent pregnancies. Under-utilisation of ANC (i.e. less than 4 visits) was sig...