Pregnancy and labour in adolescents as a public and health problem

A medical analysis was made basing on medical documents concerning pregnancy and labour in adolescent mothers up to 18 years of age, who gave birth in the First Chair and Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics at the Wrocław Medical University between 1989 and 1998. Within 10 years, 118 adolescent mothers gave birth to 118 children. A steady systematic increase in the number of labour in adolescents has been noted. Prenatal course and labour in over 90% of the adolescents proceeded without complications. This is a clear evidence that adolescents are physiologically matured enough for labour. A minor percentage of pregnancy, perinatal and newborn pathologies were caused by the lack of prenatal medical care, social and economic status and psychological immaturity. None of the study case results suggests somatic prematurity. Nevertheless adolescent pregnancy and labour is a personal and community problem especially when we consider them and their children, since they are psychologically premature and their future is uncertain.