Neonatal outcome and its relationship with maternal age

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Neonatal Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Maternal age is a recognized factor influencing pregnancy outcomes.
• Understanding the specific effects of maternal age on neonatal well-being is crucial for clinical practice and public health initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between maternal age and a comprehensive range of neonatal outcomes.
• To examine the impact of maternal age on fetal distress, birth-weight, Apgar scores, neonatal unit admissions, congenital malformations, and perinatal mortality.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 22,689 pregnancies.
• Evaluation of various neonatal well-being indicators, including fetal distress, birth-weight, Apgar scores, and neonatal unit admission rates.
• Assessment of congenital malformations and perinatal mortality in relation to maternal age.

Main Results:

• Younger women showed trends towards more fetal heart monitoring, lower birth-weight, and higher neonatal unit admissions.
• Caesarean section rates significantly increased with advancing maternal age.
• Maternal age did not influence fetal distress, Apgar scores, respiratory disease, need for intubation/ventilation, CNS complications, perinatal mortality, or congenital malformations.

Conclusions:

• While maternal age influences certain neonatal outcomes like birth-weight and unit admissions, it does not appear to affect major complications such as fetal distress, congenital malformations, or perinatal mortality.
• The favorable outcomes observed in teenage mothers may be linked to specific population factors, while positive outcomes in older mothers likely reflect effective risk management.