Factors associated with maternal and perinatal morbidity in pregnant women with advanced maternal age

Objective: To evaluate the factors associated with maternal and perinatal morbidity in pregnant women with advanced maternal age (AMA) attending the National Maternal and Perinatal Institute of Peru during the period January to December 2018. Materials and methods: An observational cross-sectional study was carried out at the National Maternal and Perinatal Institute of Peru during the 2018 period. Inclusion criteria were pregnant women aged 35 years and over that culminated in vaginal delivery or caesarean section. The variables studied were sociodemographic, obstetric, and perinatal factors. The multivariate logistic regression method and ROC curve analysis were used. Results: The study included a total of 325 pregnant women with a mean age of 38.01 ± 2.66 years. Cohabiting civil status was 70.8%, primiparous 11.7%, and large multiparous 18.5%. Inadequate prenatal care was 47.7%, and intergenesic period- long 62.8%, and short 15.4%. Pre-pregnancy overweight was 38.6%, with caesarean 56.3%, and vaginal tear I°, 28%. Applying logistic regression, BMI ≥25 Kg/m² gave an odds ratio (OR): 1.02 for severe pre-eclampsia; OR: 2.35 vaginal tear I°; and OR: 2.91 for foetal macrosomia. Inadequate prenatal control had an OR: 1. 31 for preterm delivery; and an OR: 1.48 for severe pre-eclampsia. Having a history of pre-eclampsia gave an OR: 3.03 for preterm delivery, and an OR: 10.90 for severe pre-eclampsia. ROC curve for the development of severe preeclampsia was 69.74%, complications in vaginal delivery 85.44%, and foetal macrosomia 72.78%. Conclusions: Pre-gestational overweight in AMA is associated with developing severe pre-eclampsia, vaginal tear, and foetal macrosomia. Previous pre-eclampsia is strongly associated with developing preterm birth and severe pre-eclampsia, which should be thoroughly investigated during prenatal care.