Pregnancy and Childbirth in Elderly Primiparous Women: A 6-Month Case-Control Study at the Maternity Ward of Owendo University Hospital, Gabon

Advanced age during the first parturition is becoming more and more common. The occurrence of complications is widely described in this case.

Objectives: To study pregnancy and childbirth in elderly primiparous women.

Patients and method: This is a prospective and analytical case-control study carried out in the maternity ward of the Owendo University Hospital Center over 6 months. It examined pregnancy and childbirth in older first-time mothers. A case group of first-time mothers aged 29 years or older was contrasted with a control group of parturients in the same age group with previous obstetric experience. Socio-demographic parameters, pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum outcomes were studied.

Results: A total of 1789 deliveries were recorded with 92 parturients aged 29 years or older and the control group consisted of 188 parturients. The frequency of older first-time mothers was 5.14%. For the study group, the mean age of parturients was 31.76 ± 2.80 years, with ages ranging from 29 to 40 years. Single parturients were significantly more prevalent in the study group, as were higher levels of education, longer durations of labour, and higher caesarean section rates (p = 0.000).

Conclusion: Pregnancy in elderly primiparous women is classified as high-risk due to the higher likelihood of problems. Their follow-up and delivery should be oriented towards the systematic search for fetal and perinatal risks.

Keywords: Primiparity, Advanced Age, Single, Complications, Caesarean Section, Owendo (Gabon)