Clinical significance of pregnancy in adolescence in Japan

Objective: We examined the clinical characteristics and obstetric outcomes in adolescent pregnancies in Japanese women.

Methods: The present study was a retrospective investigation of all primiparous Japanese women with singleton pregnancies who gave birth at ≥22 weeks’ gestation aged ≤18 years old (adolescent pregnancy, n?=?325) and aged 28–30 years old (n?=?2029) at Japanese Red Cross, Katsushika Maternity Hospital between 2002 and 2016.

Results: The frequencies of smoking, economic problems, an unmarried single status at delivery and the start of prenatal care in the first trimester in the adolescent pregnancy group were significantly higher than in the control group (p?Chlamydia trachomatis, Condyloma acuminatum, and mental disorders in the adolescent pregnancy group were significantly higher than in the control group (p?p?=?.02).

Conclusions: Adolescent pregnancy was not associated with adverse obstetric outcomes; however, adequate social, economic, and mental support is needed for adolescent pregnant women.