Omphalocele, advanced maternal age, and fetal morbidity outcomes

In this study we wanted to determine if the risk for adverse neonatal outcome among omphalocele-affected fetuses is increased among older gravidas. This was a retrospective cohort study on live-born infants with omphalocele delivered in New York State from 1983 through 1999. We compared infants of older (>or=35 years) with those of younger (<35 years) mothers with respect to the following fetal morbidity indices: low birth weight and very low birth weight, preterm and very preterm, and small for gestational age. We used adjusted odds ratios to approximate relative risks. Data on a total of 1,010 infants with omphalocele were analyzed. Mean gestational age and birth weight were similar in both maternal age categories: mean+/-standard deviation (SD) for infants with omphalocele born to older mothers=37.4 weeks+/-3.9 versus 38.0 weeks+/-5.1 for those of younger mothers (P=0.2); mean birth weights+/-SD for infants with omphalocele born to older mothers=2,813+/-871.1 versus 2,958+/-809.9 for those of younger mothers (P=0.08). Also, the two maternal age sub-groups did not differ with respect to the fetal morbidity outcome: low birth weight (OR=0.95; 95% CI=0.60-1.51), very low birth weight (OR=0.78; 95% CI=0.36-1.69), preterm (OR=0.95; 95% CI=0.58-1.57), very preterm (OR=0.73; 95% CI=0.34-1.58), and SGA (OR=1.00; 95% CI=0.44-2.27). Thus, advanced maternal age does not appear to be a risk factor for fetal morbidity outcomes among omphalocele-affected fetuses. This information is potentially useful in counseling affected parents.