Comparison of pregnancy outcomes between women of advanced maternal age (≥35 years) versus younger women in a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Pregnancy in women aged 35 years or above is generally considered an advanced maternal age (AMA). AMA is associated with an increased rate of maternal and neonatal complications.

Objectives: Assess the effect of AMA on maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Design: Analytical cross-sectional study of medical records.

Settings: In-patient hospital tertiary care setting in Jeddah.

Patients and methods: All women who attended antenatal care and delivered at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Jeddah in the first half of 2018 were included in the study. Outcomes for women 35 years of age or older were compared with younger women. Significant factors in a univariate analysis were entered in a multiple logistic regression model to assess the association between AMA and outcomes.

Main outcome measures: Rates of maternal neonatal complications, analysis of factors associated with advanced maternal, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), cesarean delivery.

Sample size: 1586 women.

Results: Of the 1586 women, 406 were 35 years of age or older (25.6%), and 1180 were younger than 35 years. The AMA group had a significantly higher proportion of GDM (32.0% versus 13.2%, P<.001). The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for GDM was 2.6 (95% CI 2-3.5, P<.001.) compared with younger women in the multivariate logistic regression analysis. Older women had a higher rate of cesarean delivery (43.6% versus 30.8%, P<.001). The adjusted OR for cesarean vs. vaginal delivery was 1.5 (CI 1.2-1.9, P=.002).

Conclusion: Pregnancy in women 35 years or older was associated with an increased risk of GDM and cesarean delivery.

Limitations: Cross-sectional design, small sample size, single hospital.

Conflict of interest: None.