Advanced maternal age (AMA) and the pregnancy outcomes: A retrospective survey

Abstract

Reproductive age range from 15 years to 45 years or 49 years. Peak reproductive years are between later aspect of teen age and late 20’s. There is a changing demographic phenomenon over last few decades with many women opting to delay their pregnancy. Delayed pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes but the effects of increasing age occur as a continuum rather than as a threshold effect. Indian literature in this regard is sparse. Objective of this paper was to identify the adverse pregnancy outcomes in the AMA women. Retrospective analysis of two years (2014-2015) data from a tertiary care hospital, Panchkula, Haryana was undertaken. A total of four hundred and sixteen (212 in the year 2014, 204 in the year 2015) women of the age group 30 years and above registered for delivery were taken for analysis from the hospital labour records. Women in their 30 years of age consisted of 33.4% in 2014; 25.9% in 2015; total 29.8%. Maximum percentage of the women belonged to 30-35 years 92.4% in 2014; 92.1% in 2015; total 92.2%. Among all the other adverse maternal outcomes pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) (9.9% 2014; 7.8% in 2015; total 17.1%) and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) (7.1% in 2014; 7.8% in 2015 total 14.3%) were on the higher side. Full term normal delivery was 46% in 2014; 49% in 2015; total 47.5%. Adverse fetal outcomes identified were IUGR, preterm babies, congenital anomalies and still birth. Congenital anomalies included cleft palate/lip and hypospadias.