Aim: The aim of the study was to compare maternal, perinatal and neonatal outcomes depending on maternal age and parity.
Introduction: Advanced maternal age at childbirth has been associated with adverse perinatal and neonatal outcomes. As mean maternal age in developed countries is increasing decade by decade, the issue of perinatal outcomes among older patients seems to be of utmost importance.
Methods: It is a preliminary study that enrolled 243 women who gave birth in the Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology of the University Hospital in Kraków, Poland, during a one-month period (in May 2017). The patients were divided into 2 groups: >30 and ≤30 years old. The two groups were subsequently subdivided into 4 subgroups. Maternal, perinatal and neonatal outcomes were compared between all the subgroups.
Results: Comparison of women at age >30 and ≤30 revealed that advanced maternal age may constitute a predisposing factor for stillbirth, preterm delivery and congenital disorders. At the same time, the patients in the first group were at lower risk of SGA (small for gestational age) and LGA (large for gestational age) as well as lack of progress in labour. Nevertheless, none of these parameters reached a statistical significance. Primiparas both ≤30 and >30 year-old had a much greater risk of lack of progress in labour (OR=11.3; p=0.0015 and OR=19.5; p=0.00027) as well as emergency caesarean section (OR=5.6; p=0.00056 and OR=2.5; p=0.027) and a lower risk of elective C-section (OR=0.4; p=0.0027 among women ≤30 years old) when compared to multiparas. These results met statistical significance criteria.
Conclusion: Advanced maternal age can undoubtedly be associated with several adverse perinatal outcomes. However, the results of the study do not seem to be unequivocal. Further investigation of the influence of maternal age on the course of pregnancy and delivery should be conducted.