title: Placenta percreta and uterine rupture associated with prior whole body radiation therapy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. enorwitz@partners.org
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Norwitz
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grier
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee-Parritz
mesh_terms: 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