Aim: To examine the characteristics of pregnancies at a very advanced maternal age and the effect of parity on adverse obstetric outcomes.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of women who gave birth at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital between January 2012 and December 2019. Overall, 22 448 of women were younger than 40 and 593 were aged 40 and older. Women aged 40 and older were divided into the primiparous (52 or 8.77%) and multiparous group (541 or 91.23%).
Results: Significantly more women aged 40 and older had a cesarean section. The most common indications for a secondary cesarean delivery in both age groups were a previous cesarean procedure or uterine operation. The most frequent indication for primary cesarean section in both groups was fetal distress. Cesarean section rates due to non-progressive labor, fetal distress, and preeclampsia were significantly more frequent in primiparous women compared with multiparous women aged 40 and older. In primiparous women, fetal birth weight was lower and preeclampsia/gestational hypertension frequency were higher.
Conclusion: Since primiparity was a risk factor for lower fetal birth weight and preeclampsia/gestational hypertension in the age group of 40 years and above, more attention should be paid to the follow-up and treatment of these patients.