Abstract
Objective: To compare complications of teenage pregnancy and pregnancy in ideal age group.
Methodology: This study was conducted at Social Security Landhi Hospital, Karachi and included 180 pregnant women. They were divided in two groups with 90 in each group; Group-A was teenage pregnancy aged from 15-19 years and Group-B was ideal age pregnancy aged from 20-30 years. Women who had diabetes, hypertension, cardiac, renal, endocrine, liver diseases, bony disability and history of pelvic injury were excluded. Patients were registered for antenatal care from 28 weeks to 41 weeks of pregnancy.
Results: Mean maternal age was 16.66±5.46 and 25.54±4.8 years in teenage and ideal age pregnancies. Mean gestational age was 30.07±1.5 and 38.89±0.64 weeks in teenage/ideal age pregnancies. Mean BMI was 24.84 ±4.85 kg/m2 in teenage pregnancy and 25.15±4.83 Kg/m2 in ideal age pregnancy. Mean hemoglobin concentration was 9.79±5.98 mg/dl in teenage pregnancy and 13.04±5.73 mg/dl in ideal age pregnancy. Number of normal deliveries were less and instrumental deliveries and C-sections were more in teenage group. Anemia, pre-eclampsia, pre term rupture of membrane, pre term labor, low lying placenta, IUGR, post partem hemorrhage, abnormal presentation, birth asphyxia and neonatal deaths were more in teenage pregnancy as compared with ideal age pregnancy.
Conclusion: The pregnancy related complications both in mother and in newborn were more in teenage group.

Key words: Teenage pregnancy, birth asphyxia, neonatal death, intra-uterine death, intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR).