Pregnancy among young adolescents: trends, risk factors and maternal-perinatal outcome.

Adolescent pregnancies have increased over the past years and are considered a significant social and reproductive concern. This document will briefly describe trends, risk factors and maternal-perinatal outcome associated to pregnancies among young adolescents. Prevalence and trends vary from one population to another with main risk factors being low family income, poor education, lack of knowledge of reproductive health, and poor psychological family support. Maternal and perinatal outcomes also vary according to the country and the methodological design. Regardless, adverse outcomes were identified in the mother (high cesarean section rates, puerperal infections, intrapartum complications) and in the fetus (preterm birth, low birth weight and small for gestational age).