[Increased Risk of Stillbirth in Older Mothers - A Rationale for Induction of Labour before Term?].

[Increased Risk of Stillbirth in Older Mothers - A Rationale for Induction of Labour before Term?]. Z Geburtshilfe Neonatol. 2014 Oct;218(5):190-4 Authors: Rath W, Wolff F Abstract The average age of childbearing has risen markedly in Germany and other high-income countries during the past 2 decades. Women aged 35 years or older have an increase in pregnancy complications and in preexisting medical conditions including obesity, diabetes and hypertension as well as a significant increase in the gestational age-related rate of stillbirth compared to younger mothers. Additional individual risk factors for stillbirth are primiparity, body mass index>30 and smoking. After exclusion of risk factors the absolute risk of stillbirth in women aged≥40 years old is 2-fold higher (1 in 503 maternities) at 39/40 weeks of gestation compared to women aged<35 years (1 in 1 020 maternities) at the same gestational age. Women aged 40 years or older have a similar stillbirth risk at 39 weeks of gestation to 25-29-year-olds at 41 weeks gestation. The underlying mechanism for the excess risk of stillbirth in women of advanced maternal age after exclusion of congenital anomalies is unknown. Independent of maternal age the cumulative probability of perinatal death increases from 1.8/1 000 deliveries at 38 weeks of gestation to 9.3/1 000 deliveries at 42 weeks of gestation. Whether on the basis of these data induction of labour at 39 weeks of g...
Source: Zeitschrift fur Geburtshilfe und Neonatologie - Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Tags: Z Geburtshilfe Neonatol Source Type: research