Maternal Age and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes among Women Attended Kirkuk City Hospitals: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Background: Adolescent pregnancy is one of the most common public health issues in the world today, causing harm to the fetus, mother, and newborn .World Health Organization (WHO) defined adolescents as individuals between the age of 10 and 19 years old, and according to the ,  adolescents make up approximately 20% of the world's population.

Objective: To identify and compare the adverse pregnancy outcomes among two age groups of pregnant women attended Kirkuk city hospitals.

Methods:A Quantitative (descriptive) study design was carried out between October  2022 and may 2023 on a sample of 280women, aged less than or equal to 19years old&more than or equal to 35 years. Purposive sample selected from 3 main hospitals in  Kirkuk City. A structured questionnaire was employed as an instrument for data collection. SPSS version22.0 was used for data entry and analysis. Both descriptive and inferential statistical methods  used.

Results: A total of 280 mothers participated, both groups were primary school graduated ,house wife with insufficient income. Adolescent group had 1-2 gravida & para, While advanced age had from 3-4 with delivery by CS for both groups. Significant relationship of maternal  outcome found as complication before labor as placenta previa ,gestational hypertension, eclampsia and  olighydrominos. In addition for neonatal outcome need to admission to neonatal intensive care unit and early neonatal death had significant relationship at p ˂ 0.05.

Conclusions: No significant relationships were accounted for between  the distribution of maternal outcomes among both groups, and the expectation for some complications before labor, a significant relationship at P<0.05 according to the need for neonatal intensive care unit admission & neonatal death among both age groups.