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Teenage pregnancies in Western Greece: experience from a university hospital setting

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Abstract

Purpose

Teenage pregnancies have consistently been associated with preterm labor in a wide range of studies. Evidence regarding the incidence and potential complications of teenage pregnancies in Greece is at present scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perinatal outcomes as well as the risk of perinatal and obstetric complications of teenage pregnancies.

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University Hospital of Patras, Greece, and all data recorded concerned the year 2019 (January–December). We retrospectively reviewed 643 cases of singleton pregnancies divided into two groups, as follows: Group A included women of average maternal age (AMA) (20–34 years old), and Group B included teenagers, defined as women less than 20 years old. Data regarding demographic and pregnancy characteristics as well as obstetric and neonatal complications were collected.

Results

Teenage pregnancies accounted for 6.7% of all deliveries. We detected significantly higher rates of preterm births (p = 0.025), primiparity (p < 0.001), and negative marital status (p < 0.001) in teenage mothers compared to pregnant women of AMA. There were no significant differences concerning other factors between the two groups.

Conclusions

The findings of the present study raise concern regarding the perinatal, obstetric, and social consequences of teenage pregnancies in Greece. Extended studies that will include further information on antenatal care and detailed socioeconomic factors (i.e., level of education, income, and ethnicity) are required to formulate reliable conclusions concerning teenage pregnancies and their effect on maternal and neonatal health.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Patras, Greece

    Lida-Maria Exarchos, Georgios Michail, Georgios Androutsopoulos, Apostolos Kaponis & George Adonakis

  2. Division of Endocrinology-Department of Internal Medicine, University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Rio-Patras, Greece

    Georgios K. Markantes, Maria I. Stamou & Neoklis A. Georgopoulos

Authors
  1. Lida-Maria Exarchos
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  2. Georgios K. Markantes
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  3. Maria I. Stamou
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  4. Georgios Michail
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  5. Georgios Androutsopoulos
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  6. Apostolos Kaponis
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  7. George Adonakis
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  8. Neoklis A. Georgopoulos
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Contributions

LME: data collection, statistical analysis, and writing of the manuscript; GKM: writing of the manuscript; MIS: critical revision and editing of the manuscript; GM: critical revision and editing of the manuscript; GA: critical revision and editing of the manuscript; AK: critical revision and editing of the manuscript; GA: critical revision and editing of the manuscript; NAG: conceptualization and writing of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Neoklis A. Georgopoulos.

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The study was approved by the University Hospital of Patras Ethics Committee, Patras, Greece.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Exarchos, LM., Markantes, G.K., Stamou, M.I. et al. Teenage pregnancies in Western Greece: experience from a university hospital setting. Hormones 21, 127–131 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-021-00337-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-021-00337-8

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