Assessment of pregnancy and labour outcome and the condition of the newborn in primiparous women aged 35 and older

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of maternally advanced age on pregnancy and labour outcome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Pregnancies of 95 primiparous women aged 35 or older were compared with pregnancies of 130 women aged 20-30 with respect to pregnancy complications and labour outcome. RESULTS: Women aged 35 or older had cesarean section three times as often as women in the 20-30 year group old. Advanced maternal age compared with younger age was associated with a significantly higher rate of diabetes, hypertensive disorder, thrombocytopenia and intrauterine growth retardation. CONCLUSIONS: Primiparous women aged 35 or older are at an increased risk of complications in pregnancy and are at a higher risk of cesarean section compared with younger women.