African Journal of
Pharmacy and Pharmacology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Pharm. Pharmacol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0816
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJPP
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 2288

Full Length Research Paper

Maternal age as a risk factor for pregnancy outcomes: Maternal, fetal and neonatal complication

Azar Aghamohammadi1* and Maryam Nooritajer2
1Department of midwifery, Islamic Azad University, Sari Branch-Iran. 2Islamic Azad university, Islamshahr Branch-Iran.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 18 February 2011
  •  Published: 28 February 2011

Abstract

It has been widely documented that maternal age in pregnancy are increasing in the world. Nowadays many women delay their pregnancy even up to their 40th decades of their life because of different reasons such as occupational, educational and economical reasons. Therefore, protecting the mother and infant`s health needs complete awareness of pregnancy outcomes in these ages for the midwives and the gynecologists. This study was performed to compare the pregnancy outcomes of women aged over 35 years. This research was a descriptive comparative study. The inputs were contained of 1021 pregnant women and pregnancy outcomes were compared in 4 groups of primiparous and multiparous women over and below 35. To analyze the inputs using SPSS software, the χ2 test, Fisher, Odss-ratio were used. In primiparous women, there is a statistically significant relation between the age over 35 and preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm labor, malpresentation, cesarean and low birth weight. In multiparous women, there is a significantly relation between age of over 35, preeclampsia and low birth weight. In the women over 35 years old, parity is effective on the measure of preeclampsia and cesarean delivery, only. Mother`s high age can be independent factor for pregnancy outcomes. The primiparous women are exposed to more effectivity of age. It is a fact that the aged women can have a natural pregnancy with a term infant and the over age must not be a contraindication for pregnancy.

 

Key words: Primiparous, multiparous, pregnancy outcomes.