TITLE:
Childbirth after 40 Years: A Case-Control Study at the University Hospital Center of Libreville from January 1, 2023 to January 1, 2025
AUTHORS:
Jean Pierre Ngou Mve Ngou, Kévin Ngou Mve Ngou, Marcel Methogo, Jean Daniel Zouakeu, Pélagie Bikie
KEYWORDS:
Age ≥ 40 Years, Late Pregnancy, Dystocia, Maternal-Fetal Prognosis
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.15 No.10,
October
15,
2025
ABSTRACT: Objective: To evaluate the frequency, clinical characteristics, and maternal and perinatal outcomes of childbirth among women aged 40 and above at the University Hospital Center of Libreville. Patients and Method: We conducted a two-year retrospective case-control study including 377 deliveries among women aged ≥40 and over compared with 530 randomly selected deliveries among women aged 20 to 34 years at the same institution. Associations were assessed using chi-square tests with a significance threshold of p Result: Of 11,771 deliveries, 377 involved women aged ≥40 (3.2%). Most were multiparous (49.1% vs. 40.9% in controls, p Conclusion: Childbirth after 40 years remains a high-risk obstetric event, associated with increased dysfunctional labor, operative deliveries, and neonatal morbidity. Strengthened early prenatal care, with close obstetric-pediatric collaboration, is essential to improve outcomes.