title: The influence of maternal age on pregnancy outcome in patients with early onset, severe pre-eclampsia.
abstract: Pregnancy outcomes of women in three age categories, < or = 19, 20-34 and > or = 35 years, who underwent expectant management of early onset, severe pre-eclampsia were evaluated. This formed part of a prospective study involving 340 selected women from April 1992 to March 1997. Frequent monitoring of maternal and fetal status in a high-care obstetric ward was performed. Main outcome measures were major maternal complications, prolongation of gestation and perinatal outcome. Pregnancy was prolonged by a comparable number (10, 9 and 12) of days in the groups. Placental abruption was the most frequent major maternal complication, occurring more often in the youngest group (P=0.04). Women in this group also had the highest perinatal mortality and more often required anti-hypertensive medication at discharge (P<0.001). Younger women (< or = 19 years) appear to be at higher risk for maternal and perinatal complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tygerberg Hospital and University of Stellenbosch, MRC Perinatal Mortality Research Unit, South Africa. drh@gerga.sun.ac.za
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Swart
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grové
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Odendaal