title: First-trimester ultrasonography findings in women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We tabulated first-trimester ultrasonography findings in women with recurrent pregnancy loss and determined the rate of subsequent pregnancy loss and live births after demonstration of a live embryo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-seven women with three or more recurrent miscarriages underwent first-trimester ultrasonography and were prospectively followed through 101 pregnancies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  First-trimester ultrasonography showed a dead embryo in seven pregnancies. Two of gestational sac in 12, and an empty uterus in four. A live embryo was seen in 78 pregnancies. Two of these pregnancies were terminated because of fetal chromosomal abnormalities. Of the remaining 76 pregnancies, 13 (17%) ended in a fetal loss (spontaneous abortion or fetal death) and 63 (83%) resulted in viable live births.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among women with recurrent pregnancy loss the presence of a live embryo detected by first-trimester ultrasonography is not as encouraging as in normal pregnant women. These findings are useful in counseling patients with recurrent pregnancy loss.
authors.affiliation: University of Leiden School of Medicine, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: van Leeuwen
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Branch
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal