Teenage pregnancy as a risk factor for placental abruption: Findings
from the prospective Japan Environment and Children’s Study
Abstract
Objective: To examine the effect of maternal age on placental abruption
Design: Prospective cohort study Setting: Fifteen regional centers
across Japan Population: We identified 94,410 Japanese women (93,994
without placental abruption and 416 with placental abruption) who were
recruited in the Japan Environment and Children’s study between January
2011 and March 2014. Methods: Multiple regression models were used to
identify whether maternal age (<20 years, 20–24 years, 25–29
years, 30–34 years, and ≥ 35 years) is a risk factor for placental
abruption. The analyses were conducted while considering history of
placental abruption, assisted reproductive technology, number of
previous deliveries, smoking during pregnancy, body mass index before
pregnancy, chronic hypertension, and uterine myoma as confounding
factors. Main outcome measures: Maternal age as a risk factor for
placental abruption Results: Besides advanced maternal age (≥35 years;
adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI]:
1.1–2.5), teenage pregnancy was also a risk factor for placental
abruption (aOR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.2–6.5) when maternal age of 20–24
years was set as a reference. Conclusions: In the Japanese general
population, besides advanced maternal age, teenage pregnancy was also a
strong risk factor for placental abruption. The maternal age in Japan is
changing since recent decades. Therefore, it is important for obstetric
care providers to provide proper counseling to young women based on the
up-to-date evidences. Funding: The Japan Environment and Children’s
Study was funded by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan