title: Perinatal outcomes in women over 40 years of age compared to those of other gestations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify if older pregnant women were more likely to have adverse perinatal outcomes when compared to women at an ideal age to have a child.
  
  
  METHODS
  The groups were divided according to age groups: under 20 years, ≥20 to <40 years, and ≥40 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the period from January 1st, 2008, to December 31st, 2008, there were 76 births from patients younger than 20 years and 91 births from patients aged 40 years or over. To form a third group with intermediate age, the data of 92 patients aged 20 to 40 years were obtained, totaling 259 patients. Patients aged 40 or older had a statistically greater number of cesarean sections and less use of forceps or normal deliveries (p<0.001). The use of spinal anesthesia was statistically higher among those aged 40 years or more (p<0.001). The frequency of male newborns was statistically higher in older patients, a group with statistically fewer first pregnancies (p<0.001). The frequency of premature newborns was statistically higher in patients aged 40 years or more (p=0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is crucial to give priority to aged women, so that prenatal care will be appropriate, minimizing maternal complications and improving perinatal outcomes in this unique group.
authors.affiliation: Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual "Francisco Morato de Oliveira", São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Evandro Eduardo
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Canhaço
authors.affiliation: Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual "Francisco Morato de Oliveira", São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Angela Mendes
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bergamo
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Metropolitana de Santos, Santos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Umberto Gazi
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Lippi
authors.affiliation: Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual "Francisco Morato de Oliveira", São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Reginaldo Guedes Coelho
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Lopes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001724:Birth Weight; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D008875:Middle Aged; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D047928:Premature Birth; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult