[Effect of maternal age on the course of labor--analysis of women over 40 years of age].

In order to determine the birth risk for pregnant women in the age group > or = 40, the delivery data of 143 pregnant women in this age group were retrospectively evaluated over a 3-year period. Here, 37 of these 143 women (25.9%) were primiparae. The following was examined: The number of prenatal examinations (including ultrasound examinations), the incidence of genetic examinations, the delivery methods with the percentage of surgical deliveries, complications at the time of delivery as well as the fetal outcome with APGAR values, umbilical artery pH, birth weights, neonatal morbidity and mortality. The delivery results were compared with representative populations of women between 20-29 years (n = 2252) and 30-39 years (n = 1980). Pregnancy in older women still ends significantly more often with cesarean section than in younger women. Here, the rate of cesarean sections was 32.7% compared to 21.9% in 30-39-year-olds and 15.8% in 20-29-year-olds. However, parity has an even greater influence on the mode of delivery than age. Only 30.1% of multi-parae over 40 years underwent surgical delivery (vaginal and abdominal) compared to 77.3% of primiparae. It was also found that multiparae more rarely had surgical delivery than younger primiparae (30-39 years 53.3%, 20-29 years 39.3%). Despite the high surgical delivery rate being in the group of primiparae over 40 years, the fetal outcome was comparatively poor, so that the less restrictive indication for surgical delivery seems justified.