Placental previa in relation to induced and spontaneous abortion: a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of induced abortion and spontaneous abortion on the occurrence of placenta previa in later pregnancies.


METHODS
A population-based, case-control study was conducted using 1984-1987 Washington state birth certificate data. The study population included 486 white women with a pregnancy complicated by placenta previa and 1598 randomly selected controls without placenta previa. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).


RESULTS
After adjustment for confounding variables, the odds ratio in association with one or more induced abortions was 1.28 (95% CI 1.00-1.63). For one or more spontaneous abortions, the odds ratio was 1.30 (95% CI 1.01-1.66).


CONCLUSIONS
Women who report one or more induced or spontaneous abortions are 30% more likely to have a subsequent pregnancy complicated by placenta previa than women without such a history. The results should not be generalized to areas where suction curettage is not the preferred method of induced abortion.
Taylor
V M
VM
Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.
Kramer
M D
MD
Vaughan
T L
TL
Peacock
S
S
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010298:Parity; D010923:Placenta Previa / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects