Factors Predicting Childbirth Outcomes among Adolescent Mothers in a Tertiary Hospital, the Upper Central Region, Thailand
Keywords:
Childbirth outcomes, adolescent mothers, Tertiary hospitaAbstract
This study was predictive research aimed at examining childbirth outcomes and the predictive factors of childbirth outcomes among adolescent mothers. The sample consisted of 150 adolescent mothers under the age of 20 who were admitted to the postpartum ward of a tertiary hospital in the upper central region of Thailand. Participants were selected using simple random sampling. Data collection took place from March to August 2023. The research instruments included a personal and obstetric information questionnaire, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, a maternal health literacy questionnaire, and a health-promoting behavior questionnaire for pregnant adolescents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analysis.
The results showed that 52% of adolescent mothers had good childbirth outcomes, while 48% had poor childbirth outcomes. Statistically significant predictors of good childbirth outcomes at the 0.05 level were: planned pregnancy (OR: 12.096; 95% CI: 1.499–97.633, p < .05) and social support (OR: 3.090; 95% CI: 1.478–6.463, p < .01). These factors together could predict 21.9% of the variance in childbirth outcomes (Nagelkerke R² = .219, p < .01).
The findings suggest that healthcare professionals should recognize the importance of pregnancy planning and provide adequate social support to adolescent pregnant women, as both factors contribute to improve childbirth outcomes.
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