Results: Many of the previously reported risks of the elderly gravida are expected on the basis of age and parity. Significant associations (primarily related to advanced age) included higher frequencies of obesity, chronic hypertension, gestational diabetes, and large-for-gestational-age and macrosomic infants. These elderly gravidas, on the other hand, had fewer postdates pregnancies. Although often overlooked, the greatest age-related increases in risk for induction (1.8 times), preeclampsia (2.7 times), gestational diabetes (4.5 times), clinical diabetes (3.2 times), oxytocin use (1.7 times), and macrosomia (1.6 times) occur in multiparas, not nulliparas. The risk for preeclampsia in the elderly multipara is significantly higher than expected on the basis of age and parity.
Conclusion: The increased risks of the elderly multipara may have been overshadowed by the previous focus on the elderly nullipara. It is important to recognize the increases in age-related risks of the elderly multipara to appropriately counsel and manage this group of patients. 1995; 172:1764–1770.)