Teenage pregnancy is a worldwide problem bearing serious social and medical implications relating to maternal and child health. A cross-sectional observational study was undertaken to compare the different sociodemographic characteristics and perinatal outcomes of teenage primigravida mothers with those of adult primigravida mothers in a tertiary-care hospital in eastern India. A sample of 350 each in cases and comparison group comprised the study subjects. Data were collected through interviews and by observations using a pretested and predesigned schedule. Results revealed that the teenage mothers had a higher proportion (27.7%) of preterm deliveries compared to 13.1% in the adult mothers and had low-birth-weight babies (38.9% vs 30.4% respectively). Stillbirth rate was also significantly higher in teenage deliveries (5.1% vs 0.9% respectively). The teenage mothers developed more adverse perinatal complications, such as preterm births, stillbirths, neonatal deaths, and delivered low-birthweight babies, when compared with those of the adult primigravida mothers. Teenage pregnancy is still a rampant and important public-health problem in India with unfavourable perinatal outcomes and needs to be tackled on a priority basis.

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Background:Visual impairment resulting from infectious diseases has declined by public health efforts but cataract and refractive errors still continue as major causes of blindness. Moreover, ageing & life style diseases also contribute to large number of blindness. Objective: This study was undertaken to assess the ocular morbidity pattern and the risk factors among rural population of West Bengal. Material & Methods: A community based, descriptive, observational study was conducted in Hariharpur PHC. One subcentre was chosen purposively and three villages under the subcentre were chosen randomly. The study population comprised of all persons residing in those villages for at least one year. Door to door visit was conducted for screening of eye problems and then detailed examination was carried out in the PHC by ophthalmic assistant. Subjects requiring specialist consultation were referred. Results: Difficulty with vision was the commonest complain followed by watering, burning and itching sensation, pain and redness. Refractive errors (myopia & hypermetropia) were the commonest morbidity among all age groups followed by cataract and allergic conjunctivitis. Cataract was found to be significantly associated with diabetes and hypertension (P=0.001) and allergic conjunctivitis was associated significantly with hypertension (P=0.007). Interestingly quite a high proportion of the patients with visual complaints could be detected and managed at the PHC level . So simple screening for eye disorders and utilization of trained ophthalmic assistants can enable early detection of eye conditions, prompt treatment and early referral.