Stillbirth risk ups after 40

And that's why it's important for older pregnant women to get antenatal testing on a regular basis after 38 weeks into their pregnancy, the researchers told those attending the Society for Maternal-Foetal Medicine Conference in San Francisco over the weekend.

According to a news release from the society, Yale scientists conducted a cross-sectional study of more than 11 million deliveries between 1995 and 1997 in a database provided by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The results confirmed increased risks for older pregnant women, including gestational diabetes mellitus, pre-eclampsia, placenta previa and intrauterine growth restriction.

All of these conditions can contribute to a higher incidence of stillborn deliveries, the researchers said. – (HealthDayNews)

February 2007