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Would it be too late? A retrospective case–control analysis to evaluate maternal–fetal outcomes in advanced maternal age

  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate maternal–fetal outcomes in women of advanced maternal age (AMA; >35 years old) and women of physiological maternal age as controls (C; <35 years old).

Methods

Single-center, retrospective case–control analysis, from January 1 to December 31, 2013. For each group, we evaluated obstetric history, number of twin pregnancies, delivery mode, incidence of obstetric diseases and neonatal outcomes (5-min Apgar score, neonatal weight, meconium stained fluid rate, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit rate, and incidence of congenital malformations). Data are presented as n (%) and analyzed with χ 2 test and Fisher exact test (when required). A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Moreover, we calculated the odds ratio (OR), with confidence interval (CI) at 95 %.

Results

We enrolled 1,347 pregnant women, 210 (15.6 %) in AMA and 1,137 (84.4 %) C. AMA patients showed a higher rate of previous (anamnestic) spontaneous abortion (SA; p = 0.001; OR = 2.10) and previous (anamnestic) voluntary pregnancy termination (p = 0.022; OR = 1.59), iterative cesarean section (p = 0.026; OR = 2.33), SA (p = 0.001; OR = 12.82), preterm delivery (p = 0.001; OR = 69.84), congenital malformations (p = 0.036; OR = 3.94). In C there was a greater number of nulliparous (p = 0.009; OR = 0.52) and vaginal deliveries (p = 0.025; OR = 0.41). There were not any statistically significant differences between the two groups for twin pregnancies (p = 0.862; OR = 0.97), first cesarean section (p = 0.145; OR = 0.95), other obstetric diseases and neonatal outcomes.

Conclusion

AMA could be considered an important risk factor only for SA and PTD and does not influence neonatal outcomes except for congenital malformations.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Sandy Maria Cartella for the language revision of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

All authors have no proprietary, financial, professional or other personal interest of any nature in any product, service or company.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric, Gynecological, Microbiological and Biomedical Sciences, A.O.U. “G. Martino”, University of Messina, Via C. Valeria 1, 98125, Messina, Italy

    Leonarda Ciancimino, Antonio Simone Laganà, Benito Chiofalo, Roberta Granese, Roberta Grasso & Onofrio Triolo

Authors
  1. Leonarda Ciancimino
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  2. Antonio Simone Laganà
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  3. Benito Chiofalo
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  4. Roberta Granese
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Correspondence to Antonio Simone Laganà.

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Ciancimino, L., Laganà, A.S., Chiofalo, B. et al. Would it be too late? A retrospective case–control analysis to evaluate maternal–fetal outcomes in advanced maternal age. Arch Gynecol Obstet 290, 1109–1114 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-014-3367-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-014-3367-5

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