Abstract

The present study was conducted at Kassala hospital in eastern Sudan over six month’s duration (April to October, 2009) to determine antenatal care coverage, risk of anemia, obstructed labor, preterm birth and low birth weight among teenage primiparous women (<20 years) with singleton deliveries compared with the similar group of women aged 20 to 35 years. All primiparous women who delivered single babies were invited to participate in the study. Among 2115 primiparous deliveries, there were 321 teenagers (152 per 1000 deliveries). In comparison with older women, teenagers received poor antenatal care, were more likely to lack secondary education, at risk of preterm delivery and to develop obstructed labor (P value = 0.00, 0.00, 0.03 and 0.00 respectively). Health education and concept of contraception might reduce this high incidence of early motherhood and its consequences.

Key words: Education, antenatal care, pregnancy, teenage, Sudan.