Relationship between traditional Chinese medicine constitution and pregnancy outcome in elderly primiparae

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the correlation between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitution and pregnancy outcomes in elderly primiparae.Methods: A cross-sectional case-control study was conducted on 113 elderly primiparae who were delivered in Jinshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China from January 2019 to December 2019. The elderly primiparae was the study group. Using a random ratio of 1:3, 393 primiparous women of suitable age who were delivered in the hospital at the same period were selected as the control group. A traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) questionnaire was used to collect clinical data, and differences between the two groups were compared.Results: The incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus was significantly higher in the study group (elderl y primiparae) with phlegm dampness constitution and qi stagnation constitution than in control group (appropriate-age primiparae) (p < 0.05). The incidence of hypertension was significantly higher in the study group with yin deficiency constitution and special constitution than in control group (p < 0.05). The frequency of selective cesarean section in study group with a biased qi-deficiency constitution, yang-deficiency constitution, and yin-deficiency constitution were significantly higher than control group (p < 0.05).Conclusion: There is a correlation between pregnancy outcomes in old age and TCM constitution. Individualized diet and exercise programs may be formulated in early pregnancy (based on the type of physique) to improve pregnancy outcomes in elderly primiparae.