The obstetric performance of the grand multipara

The computerized records of all women delivered between July, 1974, and June, 1975, at the Mater Mothers' Hospital were analysed, and the obstetric complications associated with grand multiparity were examined. Hypertension, preeclampsia, unstable lie, malpresentation and retained placenta are found to be more common in women of high parity. The low morbidity associated with these conditions in the data may have been related to the close supervision and active management carried out. Anaemia remained more frequent in the grand multiparous women despite modern antenatal care. Hypertension in the grand multiparous women could not be explained by age in the data presented. The cause for hypertension in this group of women remains obscure. Newborn babies of grand multiparas developed neonatal jaundice more frequently. The association between jaundice and oxytocic usage in the data only partially accounted for this observation.