Impact of midtrimester dilation and evacuation on subsequent pregnancy outcome. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of second-trimester dilation and evacuation (D&E) on subsequent pregnancy outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Medical record review of 600 patients undergoing midtrimester (14-24 weeks) D&E from 1996 to 2000 and evaluation of subsequent pregnancy outcome. Mann Whitney U, Spearman rho, and chi(2) tests were used in statistical analysis with a P value <.05 considered significant. RESULTS: Ninety-six subsequent pregnancies were identified, including 12 first-trimester spontaneous abortions, 1 second-trimester fetal death, 1 ectopic pregnancy, and 5 elective terminations. Seventy-seven pregnancies resulted in the delivery of a live-born infant at a median gestational age of 39.0 weeks. Five pregnancies (6.5%) were complicated by spontaneous preterm birth. Patients delivered preterm had an earlier gestational age at D&E (18.0 vs 20.0 weeks, P =.02) and a trend toward less preoperative cervical dilation (2.0 vs 3.0 cm, P =.09) than patients delivered at term. CONCLUSION: Second-trimester D&E is not a risk factor for midtrimester pregnancy loss or spontaneous preterm birth. Preterm delivery in future gestations appears less likely when greater preoperative cervical dilation is achieved with laminaria, possibly because of a decrease in cervical trauma.

publication date

  • October 1, 2002

Research

keywords

  • Abortion, Induced
  • Dilatation and Curettage
  • Parity
  • Pregnancy Outcome

Identity

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1067/mob.2002.127139

PubMed ID

  • 12388969

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 187

issue

  • 4