Placenta percreta and uterine rupture associated with prior whole body radiation therapy.
BACKGROUND
Injury to reproductive organs including the uterus is a known complication of ionizing radiation, but the risks to the mother and fetus during subsequent pregnancies are not well defined.


METHODS
A young woman with a remote history of whole body irradiation for childhood leukemia had uterine rupture at 17 weeks' gestation. Pathologic examination of the supracervical hysterectomy specimen revealed a posterior-fundal placenta percreta with a diffusely thinned myometrium (1-6 mm). The clinicopathologic findings were consistent with prior radiation injury.


CONCLUSIONS
Uterine irradiation may predispose to abnormal placentation and uterine rupture in a subsequent pregnancy.
Norwitz
E R
ER
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. enorwitz@partners.org
Stern
H M
HM
Grier
H
H
Lee-Parritz
A
A
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010921:Placenta Accreta / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D014597:Uterine Rupture / Q000209:etiology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation