title: Accuracy and safety of transvaginal sonographic placental localization.
abstract: Transvaginal sonographic localization of the placenta was performed in 100 patients suspected of having placenta previa. Except in one patient, the diagnosis was confirmed at cesarean delivery in all cases of placenta previa found by sonography before delivery, resulting in a 93.3% predictive value of a positive test. The predictive value of a negative test was 97.6%; in two patients a low-insertion placenta diagnosed by sonography was found to be a placenta previa at delivery. The sensitivity and specificity of the technique were 87.5 and 98.8%, respectively. Although in some instances transvaginal sonography was performed during vaginal hemorrhage, aggravation of bleeding was never observed. Transvaginal sonographic localization of the placenta proved to be an accurate and safe diagnostic procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus University-Academic Hospital Dijkzigt, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Leerentveld
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Gilberts
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wladimiroff
mesh_terms: D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010923:Placenta Previa / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal