Study of Pregnancy Outcome in Elderly Primigravida.

Abstract

Background: Though pregnancy and childbirth is a normal physiological process but a women with advanced age is a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcome. In Obstetric practice, maternal age is an important determinant of the outcome of the pregnancy. Advanced age leads to many complications during pregnancy, labour and also for the baby. In recent times women have changed their lifestyles such as in the pursuit of higher education and entry into work forces and career advancement outside the home. Consequently, this has lead to the postponement of childbearing.
Objectives: To determine the pregnancy risks and outcome in primigravida aged above 30 years compared to reference group of primigravidas aged between 20-30 years. It included evaluating the pre-existing medical disorders, antenatal complications, mode of delivery and obstetric outcome in both groups.
Methods: This was a hospital-based prospective comparative study done in the Postgraduate Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Srinagar Kashmir. This study included a total of 180 patients divided in two Groups. Group A: Includedprimigravida women above 30 years of age. Group B: Included primigravida women between 20-29 years of age.
Results: In this study, need for ovulation and induction (15.5% vs 2.2%), invitro fertilization (6.6% vs 0%), pre-existing medical disorders, antenatal complications like anemia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus was higher in group A than group B. Rate of caesarean section was higher in group A, However, the perinatal outcome was better in group B.
Conclusion: In our study, the complications in antenatal, intranatal and postnatal were higher in group A than group B.