Prevalence and Location of Obstetric Lacerations in Adolescent Mothers

Abstract

Study objective: The objective of this study was to describe prevalence and location of obstetric lacerations in adolescents.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: We performed an analysis of the Consortium on Safe Labor database including tertiary care university-affiliated urban hospitals.

Participants: All primiparous women who delivered vaginally were included.

Interventions: Vaginal and perineal lacerations were compared between age groups 15 or younger, 16-21, 22-34, 35-39, and older than 40 years.

Main outcome measures: Outcome measures included vaginal, perineal, labial, and periurethral lacerations. χ² and Fisher exact tests were used as appropriate, with P < .05 considered significant.

Results: A total of 9777 patients were included in the analysis. Young adolescents and adolescents had significantly higher rates of labial and periurethral lacerations compared with individuals aged 22-34 years. The prevalence of third- and fourth-degree perineal tears increased with age.

Conclusion: Adolescent primiparous women are less likely to have severe perineal obstetric tears, but have higher rates of labial and periurethral tears.

Keywords: Anal sphincter; Perineal lacerations; Teenage pregnancy; Vaginal tears.