[Secular evolution and evolution according to autonomous communities of the frequency of fertility treatments, multiple deliveries and cesarean sections in Spain].

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

Fertility treatments, multiple deliveries and caesarean sections are related to maternal age. Because maternal age has increased in Spain, it can also be expected an increase in these variables. We analyzed their evolution over the time and by maternal age, either globally and by Spanish Autonomous Communities.

SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We studied a sample of 30,956 mothers of non-malformed newborn infants from all over Spain.

STUDY PERIOD: between 1977 and June 2002.

RESULTS

The percentage of fertility treatments shows a statistically significant increasing trend in all of the maternal ages groups. However, this was higher in mothers older than 34 years, among whom the frequency of multiple deliveries also increased (p = 0.01). The same trends were observed by Spanish Autonomous Communities, yet with differences between them. In the Comunidad Valenciana, we identified the highest frequency of fertility treatments, while the highest mean maternal age was observed in Aragón. Galicia has one of the lowest proportions of multiple deliveries, while the percentage of fertility treatments is similar to other regions. The percentage of caesarean sections (over 25%, globally) shows a statistically significant increasing trend in all the maternal ages groups, the highest one being among mothers older than 39 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The observed increasing maternal age implies a higher use of fertility treatments, multiple deliveries and caesarean sections. All these variables show statistically significant variations between Spanish Autonomous Communities and over the time.