INFLUENCE OF MATERNAL AGE ON THE COURSE O F LABOR - ANALYSIS OF WOMENOVER 40 YEARS

In order to determine the birth risk for pregnant women in the age gro up greater than or equal to 40, the delivery data of 143 pregnant wome n in this age group were retrospectively evaluated over a 3-year perio d. Here, 37 of these 143 women (25,9%) were primiparae. The following was examined: The number of prenatal examinations (including ultrasoun d examinations), the incidence of genetic examinations, the delivery m ethods with the percentage of surgical deliveries, complications at th e time of delivery as well as the fetal outcome with APGAR values, umb ilical artery pH, birth weights, neonatal morbidity and mortality. The delivery results were compared with representative populations of wom en between 20-29 years (n = 2252) and 30-39 years (n = 1980). Pregnanc y in older women still ends significantly more often with cesarean sec tion than in younger women. Here, the rate of cesarean sections was 32 .7% compared to 21.9% in 30-39-year-olds and 15.8% in 20-29-year-olds. However, parity has an even greater influence on the mode of delivery than age. Only 30.1% of multiparae over 40 years underwent surgical d elivery (vaginal and abdominal) compared to 77.3% of primiparae. It wa s also found that multiparae more rarely had surgical delivery than yo unger primiparae (30-39 years 53.3%, 20-29 years 39.3%). Despite the h igh surgical delivery rate being in the group of primiparae over 40 ye ars, the fetal outcome was comparatively poor, so that the less restri ctive indication for surgical delivery seems justified.