Is a poor pregnancy outcome related to young maternal age? A study of teenagers in Estonia during the period of major socio-economic changes (from 1992 to 2002)

Abstract Objective To assess the risk of low birth weight, preterm birth, stillbirth, neonatal and postneonatal death among primiparous teenagers having singleton births, compared to a similar group of women aged 20–24 years in Estonia during the period of major socio-economic changes. Study design Registry study using the data from the Estonian Medical Birth Registry (EMBR) for years 1992–2002; EMBR data were linked with infant deaths in the Estonian Mortality Database. Study population included 51,890 women aged 13–24 years, arranged into three groups: ≤17, 18–19, and 20–24. Crude odds ratios (OR), adjusted ORs and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the different outcomes were estimated using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results Compared with women aged 20–24 years, the risk of low birth weight and preterm birth was higher among teenagers. The risk of low birth weight and preterm birth within the study group as a whole did not change during the study period. Increased risks in neonatal and postneonatal death among younger teenagers of an age of 17 years and less seem to be a result of prematurity. Conclusions Despite major socio-economic changes resulting in improvements in obstetric care and growth in incomes, teenagers remained a higher risk group.