Abstract
The risk of childbearing at or beyond age 35 is thought to be greater than that of younger women. We compared the course of pregnancy and neonatal outcome for all women ≥35 yrs. delivering at Baystate Medical Center at ≥ 20 wks. gestation, with controls 20-34 yrs., and with all women<20 yrs. for the year 1985. 1992 women were enrolled.
Premature labor, fetal distress, Apgars, resuscitation, prematurity and death were comparable in all groups by Chi square analysis. The <20yr. group had significantly more SGA infants, RDS, and NICU admissions as compared to the other 2 groups which were similar. Mean birth weight was lower for the <20 yr. group. Numbers of malformations/chromosomal abnormalities were inadequate for analysis. The ≥35 yr. group had more C/sections, but when repeat sections were eliminated, the older group had 19.7% and the controls 17.3%.
The data show that mothers ≥39 yrs., achieving 20 wks. gestation, are at no greater risk for perinatal problems than mothers 20-34 years. We conclude that women delivering later in their reproductive lifespan may view pregnancy with optimism.
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Meyer, K., Hepner, G. & Shah, B. CHILOBEARING IN WOMEN ≥35 YEARS. Pediatr Res 21 (Suppl 4), 259 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00551
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00551