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Reproductive Health
Published in: Reproductive Health 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research

The long-term effects of adolescent pregnancies in a community in Northern Ghana on subsequent pregnancies and births of the young mothers

Authors: Anne-Sophie Yussif, Anyetei Lassey, Gabriel Yao-kumah Ganyaglo, Eva J. Kantelhardt, Heike Kielstein

Published in: Reproductive Health | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

In Ghana, adolescents represent 22% of the total population. The rates of adolescent pregnancies are high. Of all births registered in the country in 2014, 30% were by adolescents, and 14% of adolescents aged between 15 and 19 years had begun childbearing. Pregnancies and deliveries of adolescents are accompanied by more risks as compared to older women. The aim of the study was to explore the long-term effects of adolescent pregnancies on subsequent pregnancies and births and on the socioeconomic status of the women.

Method

A cross-sectional interviewer-performed survey of a purposive sample of 400 women in one community of Northern Ghana was conducted. Relationships between the age at first pregnancy and complications such as cesarean section, preterm or stillbirth and others were explored in 143 patients using the statistical program SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences).

Result

Results show that adolescent women (<19 years at their first pregnancy) have an 80% higher risk for a cesarean section for the first and subsequent births as compared to older women (≥ 19 years). Furthermore, younger mothers have a 45% higher risk of stillbirths and a 30% increased risk of losing their baby within the first 6 weeks after birth. There was no difference in the socioeconomic status between the two age groups.

Conclusion

Adolescent pregnancies are risk factors for the outcome of subsequent pregnancies of these mothers. This study, for the first time, shows that not only the first pregnancy and birth of very young women are negatively influenced by the early pregnancy but also subsequent pregnancies and births. While this study is of a purposive sample of women in one community, the clinical relevance of this study should not only be interesting for healthcare practitioners in Northern Ghana and other African regions but also for prevention campaigns in these regions.
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Metadata
Title
The long-term effects of adolescent pregnancies in a community in Northern Ghana on subsequent pregnancies and births of the young mothers
Authors
Anne-Sophie Yussif
Anyetei Lassey
Gabriel Yao-kumah Ganyaglo
Eva J. Kantelhardt
Heike Kielstein
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Reproductive Health / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1742-4755
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-017-0443-x

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