Maternal age as a risk factor for stillbirth

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Perinatal Epidemiology
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Stillbirth remains a significant adverse pregnancy outcome globally.
• Maternal age is increasingly recognized as a potential risk factor for stillbirth.
• Understanding age-related risks is crucial for targeted prenatal care and risk mitigation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between maternal age and stillbirth risk.
• To quantify the risk of stillbirth in teenage and elderly pregnancies.
• To provide data for improving antenatal care guidelines based on maternal age.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of delivery records from a tertiary care hospital.
• Data collected over a five-year period (1993-1997).
• Statistical analysis including chi-square tests and odds ratio calculation to assess the relationship between maternal age groups and stillbirth.

Main Results:

• The overall stillbirth rate was 2.5% (1138 stillbirths per 46,443 deliveries).
• A significant association was found between increasing maternal age and stillbirth risk (χ² = 182.3, df = 4, p < 0.001).
• Teenage pregnancies (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1-2.5) and elderly pregnancies (OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.9-3.5) exhibited significantly higher stillbirth risks compared to the 20-29 years age group.

Conclusions:

• Maternal age is a significant determinant of stillbirth risk.
• Both adolescent and advanced maternal age pose elevated risks for stillbirth.
• Risk stratification by maternal age is essential for optimizing perinatal outcomes and resource allocation in obstetric care.