Context: Adolescents are considered at higher risk of poor outcomes due to pregnancy complications. While this may be partly due to physiological immaturity, a portion of this relationship may be mediated indirectly via social factors that characterize adolescence. Objective: To estimate the effect of social factors associated with adolescence on obstetric morbidity during the prepartum, intrapartum and postpartum periods. Methods: Data for this study come from the MOMA (MOrbidité MAternelle en Afrique) study conducted from December 1994 to June 1996 in seven West African urban areas. The objective of this study was to collect population-based data on maternal morbidity and mortality. Multinomial logit models will be estimated for each of the three periods of data-at the 8th month of pregnancy, at delivery, and at 60 days postpartum. In order to isolate social factors associated with adolescent obstetric morbidity, age alone will be regressed on morbidity, then with controls for observed physiological variables, and finally with controls for observed social factors. The dependent variable is composed of those pathologies reported by a health care provider and considered by experts in the field to be direct obstetric morbidity, indirect obstetric morbidity, non-obstetric morbidity, unknown morbidity, or no morbidity. Discussion: Unadjusted analyses of age and morbidity show significant inverse associations, but it is not clear to what degree this reflects social versus physiological factors. To the extent that the relationship is shown to reflect differential use of obstetric services among adolescents compared to older women, results will inform policy for adolescents' access to care.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session; the participant (learner) in this session will be able to: 1. Describe the characteristics associated with adolescent childbearing in seven West African urban areas. 2. Discuss the methodological details of a population-based study of maternal morbidity and mortality. 3. List five social factors that mediate the relationship between adolescence and pregnancy complications.
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Pregnancy Outcomes
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.