PREGNANCY OUTCOME AT AGE 40 AND OLDER

Objective: To examine pregnancy outcome among women age 40 years and o lder. Methods: A retrospective cohort study, including 1404 pregnant w omen at least 40 years of age and 6978 controls age 20-29 years, was c onducted. The two groups were stratified, according to parity, to faci litate separate analysis. Associations between maternal age and Pregna ncy outcomes were assessed with the contingency chi(2) or two-tailed F isher exact test. Multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate th ese associations and allowed for calculation of adjusted odds ratios ( OR). Results: Older gravidas were more likely to develop gestational d iabetes (nulliparas: OR 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.9-3.7; mul tiparas: OR 3.8, 95% CI 2.7-5.4), preeclampsia (nulliparas: OR 1.8, 95 % CI 1.3-2.6; multiparas: OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-2.9), and placenta previa (nulliparas: OR 13.0, 95% CI 4.8-35.0; multiparas: OR 6.4, 95% CI 2.6 -15.6). Older women were also at increased risk for cesarean delivery (nulliparas: OR 3.1, 95% CI 2.6-3.7; multiparas: OR 3.3, 95% CI 2.6-4. 1), operative vaginal delivery (nulliparas: OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.9-2.9; mu ltiparas: OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-1.9), and induction of labor (nulliparas: OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-1.8; multiparas: OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.7). Older nu lliparas had an increased incidence of abnormal labor patterns (OR 1.4 , 95% CI 1.2-1.7), neonatal intensive care unit admissions (OR 1.6, 95 % CI 1.2-2.2), and low 1-minute Apgar scores (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1-4.9). Older multiparas were more likely to experience fetal. distress (OR 2 .0, 95% CI 1.4-2.8), antepartum vaginal bleeding (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-3 .1), and preterm premature rupture of membranes (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2. 9). Conclusion: Although maternal morbidity was increased in the older gravidas, the overall neonatal outcome did not appear to be affected.