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. 2020 Aug:251:53-59.
doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2020.04.055. Epub 2020 May 20.

Associations of maternal age at the start of pregnancy with placental function throughout pregnancy: The Generation R Study

Jan S Erkamp  1 , Vincent W V Jaddoe  1 , Annemarie G M G J Mulders  2 , Liesbeth Duijts  3 , Irwin K M Reiss  4 , Eric A P Steegers  2 , Romy Gaillard  5
Affiliations

Associations of maternal age at the start of pregnancy with placental function throughout pregnancy: The Generation R Study

Jan S Erkamp et al. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2020 Aug.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the associations of maternal age at the start of pregnancy across the full range with second and third trimester uterine and umbilical artery flow indices, and placental weight.

Study design: In a population-based prospective cohort study among 8271 pregnant women, we measured second and third trimester uterine artery resistance and umbilical artery pulsatility indices and the presence of third trimester uterine artery notching using Doppler ultrasound.

Results: Compared to women aged 25-29.9 years, higher maternal age was associated with a higher third trimester uterine artery resistance index (difference for women 30-34.9 years was 0.10 SD (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.02 to 0.17), and for women aged ≥40 years 0.33 SD (95% CI 0.08 to 0.57), overall linear trend 0.02 SD (95% CI 0.01 to 0.03) per year). Compared to women aged 25-29.9 years, women younger than 20 years had an increased risk of third trimester uterine artery notching (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.97 (95% CI 1.30-3.00)). A linear trend was present with a decrease in risk of third trimester uterine artery notching per year increase in maternal age (OR 0.96 (95% CI 0.94 to 0.98)). Maternal age was not consistently associated with umbilical artery pulsatility indices or placental weight.

Conclusions: Young maternal age is associated with higher risk of third trimester uterine artery notching, whereas advanced maternal age is associated with a higher third trimester uterine artery resistance index, which may predispose to an increased risk of pregnancy complications.

Keywords: Doppler; Maternal age; Placental function; Resistance index; Uterine artery.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest None.

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