Great grand multiparity: is it a risk?

We wished to compare antenatal and intrapartum complications among women delivering for the 10th or subsequent time and to compare them with women of lower parity (para 2-5). The records of 154 women of great grand parity (para >/= 10) were reviewed and compared with 308 women (para 2-5) delivered during the same period. Antepartum as well as intrapartum complications were compared. All the women delivered between 16 April 1994 and 15 January 1995. Great grand multiparous women were, not surprisingly, older. The incidence of diabetes millitus, chronic hypertension, preterm labour are similar to those with low parity while they have higher incidence of pre-eclampsia (7.1% vs. 2.6%) and intrauterine fetal death (5.2 vs. 1.3%) P < 0.04. There were no differences in the incidence of placental abruption, placenta previa, malpresentation and postpartum haemorrhage between the two groups. Great grand multipara had a higher incidence of macrosomia (7% vs. 2%) and operative delivery (20.6% vs. 11.4%) P < 0.02. Great grand multiparous woman are at some increased risk of having severe pre-eclampsia, intrauterine fetal death macrosomia and subsequently operative delivery with its associated risk of maternal mortality and morbidity.