title: The diagnosis of incomplete abortion.
abstract: A prospective study of 203 patients referred with a diagnosis of incomplete abortion is reported and the final histological diagnosis is discussed. Eighty-six patients (42 percent) were not pregnant, and 14 (7 percent) had other abnormalities of pregnancy. Clinical features of value in confirming the diagnosis were cervical dilation (misleading in 6 percent), uterine enlargement (misleading in 31 percent) and pain (misleading in 34 percent). Amenorrhoea was significantly shorter in patients with dysfunctional bleeding and bleeding prolonged in the other groups, but a wide range was noted. Age did not differ significantly between the two groups. A histological diagnosis was made in all but five patients. No clinical feature was completely reliable and curettage was often necessary to reach a final diagnosis.
mesh_terms: D000027:Abortion, Incomplete / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D003656:Decidua / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology