title: Effect of Age on Childbearing in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of maternal age on pregnancy outcomes in women aged 40 years and above at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective comparative study was conducted on women aged ≥40 years (n=249) and a control group aged 20-29 years (n=249) who delivered at ≥28 weeks gestation between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2012. The medical records of the patients were analyzed using Epi Info 6.04d. Association between maternal age and selected obstetrical variables were assessed using the chi-squared and the two-tailed Fisher exact test. Differences were considered statistically significant when p≤0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the women in the study group was 41.2 ±1.75 versus 26.10 ± 2.37 in the control group. Advanced maternal age was associated with a significantly higher rate of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (p=0.01), diabetes mellitus (p<0.01), abnormal lies/presentation (p=0.04), caesarean deliveries (p<0.01) and low birth weight (p=0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older parturients have a higher risk of medical disorders of pregnancy. They are more likely to deliver by caesarean section and have low birth weight babies than their younger counterparts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria;
authors.forename: Ngozi C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Orazulike
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jeremiah
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria;
authors.forename: Kinikanwo I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria;
authors.forename: Samuel A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Uzoigwe
keywords: Advanced maternal age; Outcomes; Port Harcourt; Pregnancy