Association between maternal age and pregnancy outcome: implications for the Pakistani society

Maternal age at conception has long been demonstrated to have a significant correlation with pregnancy outcome and maternal health. Classically, very young (<20 years old) and old (= or >35 years) women have been classified as high-risk categories for child bearing. Recently, career, education, financial, and other goals have coerced women to delay childbearing all over the world. This trend is also becoming apparent in Pakistan, especially in the upper middle class, wealthy and educated women, as they become increasingly empowered. This review presents the association between maternal age and pregnancy outcome, particularly in the context of statistics of Pakistan, and its possible repercussions. On one hand, physicians need to develop effective counseling strategies for their patients in this regard, and on the other, more studies are required to ascertain the attitudes of Pakistani women, particularly those belonging to the upper and middle classes, regarding delayed childbearing, that can aid physicians in formulating effective counseling strategies.