The influence of the maternal age on the selected obstetric parameters

This project is carried out by the Bachelor Programme Midwifery in cooperation with the Institute for Clinical Epidemiology at the Tiroler Kliniken GmbH.

The average birthing age in Austria has risen dramatically in the last few decades. A maternal age over 35 is discussed as an independent risk factor for the pregnancy and birth due to a higher intervention rate. This project presents the influence of the maternal age on the birth mode, the duration of the pregnancy and the intervention rate during the birth. It also analyses the influence of maternal parity.

The method of retrospective data collection and evaluation from the Austrian birth register was selected. For this project the data from all single births from 2008 to 2016 was used. Multiple births and stillbirths were excluded. The age and parity of the mothers were linked with pre-defined variables (mode of delivery, week of pregnancy, episiotomy in the case of a vaginal birth, epidural anaesthesia in the case of a vaginal birth or caesarean section as well as micro-blood sampling).

• further Project team: Doris Linzner B.A. M.A.; Hehenberger Luise BSc