Akkamamba Basa1, Srujana Palavalasa2, Geetasree Vanapalli3
BACKGROUND
Advanced maternal age generally signifies age after 35 years at the time of
delivery. Maternal age is an important determinant of the outcome of pregnancy.
Elderly women are at a high risk of several complications like abortion, ectopic
pregnancy, preterm labour, hypertension, gestational diabetes, malpresentation
and instrumental deliveries. Older the women, higher the fetal complications like
Downs syndrome, preterm baby, low birth weight (LBW) babies and intrauterine
growth restriction (IUGR). The purpose of this study was to assess the
fetomaternal outcome in elderly pregnancy at a tertiary care centre.
METHODS
This study was a prospective hospital-based study of 100 elderly pregnant women
aged 35 years and above admitted in OBG Department, Government General
Hospital, Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, from June 2020 to May 2021. The labor ward
register and case records were used for all elderly gravida women admitted and
delivered and details of these patients was recorded in the proforma.
RESULTS
In this study, 68 % were in 35 - 37 years, 32 % were in 38 - 40 years age group.
36 % were primigravida and 64 % were multigravida. 76 % women were
housewives and 24 % women were employed. 32 % of women had history of
previous abortions. Hypertensive disorders were observed in 42 % of patients,
gestational diabetes was observed in 28 % of patients, antepartum haemorrhage
was observed in 24 % of patients, IUGR was noted in 20 % of patients and preterm
delivery was noted in 10 % of patients. 46 % of patients were delivered by vaginal
route and 40 % of patients were delivered by caesarean section. 7.69 % were
intrauterine devices (IUDs), 3.85 % had congenital anomalies.
CONCLUSIONS
Elderly women are at a high risk of developing several maternal and fetal
complications. Many of these complications can be successfully managed with
improved health services, pre-conceptional counselling and frequent antenatal
visits.
