Abstract
Background and Objectives: Late-term pregnancy, defined as gestation between 41 0/7 weeks through 41 6/7 weeks, is associated with increased risks of adverse perinatal outcomes. This study aimed to assess the perinatal outcomes in women with late-term pregnancies compared with those with normal-term pregnancies.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary maternity hospital in Erbil City, Kurdistan, Iraq from January 2023 to January 2024. Pregnant women were selected by a convenient sampling method. The study included 400 participants, divided into case (late term pregnancy) and control (normal-term pregnancy) groups. Perinatal outcomes including birth weight, Apgar score, and meconium-stained amniotic fluid were assessed. Maternal outcomes such as mode of delivery and occurrence of postpartum hemorrhage were also studied.
Results: The study included 300 late-term and 100 normal-term pregnancies. Significant differences were observed in neonatal birth weight, with late-term neonates weighing more on mean (3604.500 ± 539.036 g) compared with term neonates (3161.500 ± 509.597 g), and 16% of late-term neonates were macrosomic (p≤0.001). Mode of delivery also differed significantly, with a higher rate of cesarean sections in the late-term group (212 (70.6%) vs. 14 (14%), p≤0.001). Additionally, late-term pregnancies had higher incidences of meconium-stained amniotic fluid (p=0.004) and lower APGAR scores at 1 minute (p=0.015).
Conclusion: Late-term pregnancy could be associated with adverse effects and risks of macrosomia, shoulder dystocia and high birth weight, which was significant compared with mothers with normal-term pregnancy.