NULLIPAROUS WOMEN OVER 40 YEARS AND THE RISK OF PRE-TERM DELIVERY: MULTI-CENTRIC RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Objectives: To analyze risk of pre-term delivery in nulliparous women over 40 years of age. Materials: We retrospectively analyzed neonatal and pregnancy outcomes of 10488 nulliparous women, who delivered between 2001 and 2010 in two third level Clinics of North-East Italy, 496 of which have delivered after 40 years of age. Methods: Data was analyzed by R (version 2.13.1), considering significant p < 0.05. Results: In multivariate logistic regression model were independent risk factors for preterm delivery before 37 gestational weeks: delivery after 40 years of age, pregnancy related hypertensive disorders, SGA (<10th centile), maternal diabetes, and twin pregnancies. Moreover, in multivariate logistic regression model were independent risk factors for preterm delivery before 34 gestational weeks: pregnancy related hypertensive disorders, and twin pregnancies. Conclusions: Even if advanced maternal age is a risk factor for preterm delivery before 37th gestational week it is not an independent risk factor for pre-term delivery before 34th gestational week.