Effect of age and parity on primary caesarean section rates.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of maternal age and parity on the rates of primary caesarean section.


METHODS
We reviewed all patients who delivered at the Princess Badeea Teaching Hospital between 1 January, 1995 and 26 November, 1995.


RESULTS
There were 8,732 deliveries included in this study. The primary caesarean section rates in primiparous women less than 25, 25 to 34 and over 34 years of age were 6.1%, 11.1% and 22.2%, respectively. A similarly dramatic rise with advancing maternal age was seen in multiparous women with rates of 3.1%, 6.4% and 9.5%, respectively, in the three age groups. A strong association between maternal age and primary caesarean section exists (p < 0.05). Caesarean section rates in the primiparous women were higher in all age groups when compared with multiparous women (p < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Increasing maternal age and parity are factors strongly associated with increased primary caesarean section rates.
Abu-Heija
A
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Rasheed
R
R
el-Qaraan
O
O
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies