Conference paper
TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN BELGIUM: PROTECTIVE FACTORS IN A MIGRANT POPULATION
Lotta Coenen
; Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Brugmann, Brussels, Belgium
Pauline Bellekens
; Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Brugmann, Brussels, Belgium
Caroline Kadji
; Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Brugmann, Brussels, Belgium
Andrew Carlin
; Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Brugmann, Brussels, Belgium
Juan Tecco
; Department of Psychiatry, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Psychiatrique de Mons-Borinage (CHUP-MB), Mons, Belgium
Abstract
Background: Teenage pregnancies occur frequently in developing countries and are associated with social issues, including
poverty, lower levels of health and educational attainment. Although frequent in European countries in the 20th century today,
teenage pregnancies account for only 4% of first children. These pregnancies are usually unplanned and they are considered a
vulnerability factor during the pregnancy and the postnatal period, both for the mother and the child. The purpose of our study was
to evaluate the evolution of mothers and children of teenage pregnancies, several years after childbirth and to identify factors which
may protect or increase the patient’s vulnerability.
Subjects and methods: We conducted a retrospective search in our patient database in order to identify all teenage pregnancies
between 2010-2014 at CHU Brugmann Hospital. Outcome date data were obtained from the medical files. Mothers were contacted
by phone and asked to complete our questionnaire which focused on maternal and paediatric care; and infant and child development
after hospitalization.
Results: Out of the 342 patients identified, 84 patients were contactable and only 72 patients completed the full questionnaire.
With only 4 patients originating from Belgium, our population was largely immigrant. Despite this, obstetrical, maternal and
paediatric outcomes were remarkably favorable when compared to other published studies.
Conclusion: Our study suggests that some migrant teenage mothers may have a dual advantage in terms of the wealth of a
developed country in which have settled and the low social stigma related to their country of origin. More research needs to be done
to further investigate this hypothesis.
Keywords
teenage pregnancy; adolescent pregnancy; vulnerability
Hrčak ID:
264124
URI
Publication date:
4.9.2019.
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