[Maternal age as risk factor: a study on first-time pregnant women 28 years old or older]

This is a transverse-type designed study with the aim analyze maternal age as a risk factor, and as not a risk factor, through the verification of incidents during pregnancy, birth and puerperium of first time pregnant women with age equal or higher than 28 years old; as well as birth conditions and discharge of their newborns, comparing them with a group of first time pregnant women from 20 to 27 years old. The study was carried out in Botucatu, São Paulo, from January, 1990 to June, 1995. The statistical analysis, discussed at the level of 5% of significance, was developed through Mann-Whitney test, Goodman test and the evaluation of relative risk and corrected relative risk through Mantel-Haenszel technique. We concluded that maternal age equal or higher than 28 years old, is not a pregnancy, puerperal and intrapartum risk factor, although, on the other hand, it was a risk factor even after controlled parturition for the following perinatal incidents: newborn tachypnea, generalized cyanosis at birth and neonatal infection.