Abstract

PIP: An analysis of trends in numbers, rates, and outcomes of pregnancies in women of 19 years and less was performed using population-based data from the Registrar General of Scotland, of all deliveries in Scottish hospitals from 1975 to 1988. The data were taken from the standard maternity discharge document including live and stillbirths, and from the 1975-87 Notifications of Abortion records. Pregnancies/1000 women ranged from 40 in 1983 to 50 in 1975. Proportionally more pregnancies were terminated in 1987. The number of live births to single women rose from 11.4 to 22.2/1000 over the period. In 1987 there were fewer marriages during pregnancy, and a lower proportion of pregnancies in married women. The total number of live births to women 20 decreased from 8267 in 1975 to 6158 in 1988, while those in single women rose from 2297 to 4558, from 28% to 74%. There were no evident trends in teen pregnancies, but an increase in the termination rate in teens was apparent. Most teen births occurred in mature out-of-school women. While 32% of primiparous women aged 18 booked for prenatal care at 21 weeks or more, there was no increase in anencephaly or spina bifida, which would have been detected by prenatal screening. Hypertension occurred in 14% of women 20 and in 21% of those 20. Operative deliveries were more common in women aged 20-24, and more often resulted in low birth weight. Low birth weight occurred in 8% of women, compared with 7% in those 20 (p0.01). When social factors were controlled, there were no differences in birth weight and gestation length. Indicators of social deprivation are discussed. The longterm implications of loss of education, training, employment, and stable marriages were considered more detrimental to the young mothers than the adverse health effects of early pregnancy.