Fetal loss in threatened abortion after embryonic/fetal heart activity.
OBJECTIVE
To study the incidence of fetal loss in threatened abortion after detection of embryonic/fetal heart activity.


METHODS
A prospective study was performed on pregnant women with clinically diagnosed threatened abortion between 6 and 14 weeks of gestation. All had a good menstrual history and the calculated gestational age using crown-rump length in the first trimester ultrasound was in agreement. Embryonic/fetal heart rate measurements were obtained by a 5 MHz vaginal probe using M-mode and real-time B mode imaging. All cases were followed up with respect to pregnancy outcomes. The data were analyzed using the SPSS computer program.


RESULTS
Eighty-seven pregnant women were included in the study. There were three pregnancies (3.4%) which resulted in fetal loss before 20 weeks of gestation. In viable pregnancies, the mean embryonic/fetal heart rate increased with advancing gestational age. The individual values of embryonic/fetal heart rate for fetal losses were within the reference range.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of fetal loss in threatened abortion after detection of embryonic/fetal heart activity was 3.4%. There was no evident pattern of bradycardia or tachycardia that signaled the incipient of viability.
Tannirandorn
Y
Y
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. ytannirandorn@hotmail.com
Sangsawang
S
S
Manotaya
S
S
Uerpairojkit
B
B
Samritpradit
P
P
Charoenvidhya
D
D
D000033:Abortion, Threatened / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal