Delayed childbearing and maternal mortality.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the maternal age trend in pregnant women in Flanders, Belgium, and examine the impact of maternal age on maternal mortality.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of a population based regional perinatal database during one decade.


RESULTS
Between 1991 and 2000 a significant increase in maternal age was found, in primiparous as well as in multiparous women. The maternal mortality ratio was 5.8, and strongly related to maternal age, with a relative risk of 7.0 (95% CI: 3.0-16.2) from the age of 35 on, and of 30.0 (95% CI: 11.4-80.6) in women aged 40 years or beyond.


CONCLUSIONS
These data call for further research and action to facilitate career and reproduction, and for special care for older pregnant women.
Temmerman
M
M
Department of OB/GYN, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium. marleen.temmerman@rug.ac.be
Verstraelen
H
H
Martens
G
G
Bekaert
A
A
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D012189:Retrospective Studies