The objective of the present study was to compare perinatal outcomes in women aged 35 or older with women aged 20 to 34 years. This retrospective study was performed by reviewing the obstetric records of 1255 mothers who gave birth at the only hospital in Sarandi-PR, from January 2007 to December 2008. The analyzed variables were: marital status, education, gestational age at birth, type of delivery, newborn birth weight, Apgar score at one and five minutes and stillbirths. Logistic regression showed that advanced maternal age was significantly associated with adverse outcomes such as cesareans (OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.19-0.44) and 5-minute Apgar scores below 7 (OR 5.78 95% CI 0.74-0.76). These results are important to show the risk of complications in pregnant women aged 35 years or older, and the need to provide guidance to women who wish to postpone pregnancy.
Maternal age; Pregnant women; Pregnancy complications; Obstetrical nursing
