Teenage Pregnancy and Dropout Rate From School After Delivery in Northern Thailand

Thanintranon, Sitthanan; C., Tana; A., Thapsamuthdechakorn; A., Danzler; N., Morakote; Chinthakanan, Orawee; O., Chinthakanan

doi:10.21608/ebwhj.2019.6533.1011

Teenage Pregnancy and Dropout Rate From School After Delivery in Northern Thailand

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand

² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Thailand,

³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Thailand

⁴ Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

⁵ Department of Obstetrics and Gynacology, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

⁶ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Thailand, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

10.21608/ebwhj.2019.6533.1011

Abstract

Objective: To examine the percentage of teenage mothers returning to schools after delivery and predicting factors.
Aim: To examine the percentage of teenage mothers returning to schools after delivery and predicting factors.
Materials and Methods: TA retrospective cohort study of pregnant women aged <20 years at the time of delivery at Chiang Mai University Hospital, Thailand between January 2005 and December 2014. The patients were evaluated for baseline demographics and dropout rate from school.
Results: Teenage pregnancies accounted for 2580 of 20,568 pregnancies (12.5%) in the past 10 years. 201 were contactable and data were obtained with verbal informed consent. 57.7% dropped out from school, with the main reason being the need to raise their child by themselves (46.6%). Maternal age did not affect dropout rate (57.6% of those aged <18 years vs. 57.8% of those aged ≥18 years returned to school). However, advanced partner age resulted in higher dropout rates (20.6 ± 3.7 vs. 22.6±4.8 years, P = 0.002). Those who were students prior to pregnancy were two times more likely to return to education after giving birth than nonstudents (relative risk 2.01, 95% confidence interval 1.4–2.8).
Conclusion: 57.7% did not return to education and the main hindrances to young mothers returning to school were advanced paternal age, and being non-student.

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