Effect of spontaneous pregnancy reduction on obstetric outcome.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if obstetric outcome is compromised in pregnancies in which a spontaneous pregnancy reduction (SPR) occurred in the first trimester.


METHODS
Case-control study.


RESULTS
First-trimester SPR was diagnosed in 29 (27.8%) of 104 twin pregnancies, 14 (28.6%) of 49 triplet pregnancies and 10 (28.6%) of 35 quadruplet pregnancies. Of these 53 patients, 15 were excluded from the analysis. In the remaining 38 women with SPR, vaginal bleeding occurred in 2 (5.3%) as compared to 7 (8.3%) of the controls. Pregnancy-induced hypertension occurred in 4 (10.5%) of SPR pregnancies as compared to 9 (10.7%) of control pregnancies. When compared to respective controls, there were no significant differences in the birth weights or gestational age at delivery of pregnancies spontaneously reduced to singletons (SPR, 38.5 weeks; controls, 38.2 weeks), twins (SPR, 36.2 weeks; controls, 34.4 weeks) or triplets (SPR, 31.0 weeks; controls, 32.0 weeks).


CONCLUSIONS
SPR can be recognized in >25% of multiple pregnancies diagnosed in the early first trimester. Our data suggests that SPR is not associated with decreased gestational age at delivery, reduced birth weight or increased incidence of pregnancy-induced hypertension.
Steinkampf
Michael P
MP
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL 35233, USA. steinkampf@aol.com
Whitten
Scott J
SJ
Hammond
Karen R
KR
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015994:Incidence; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018607:Pregnancy Reduction, Multifetal; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D014310:Triplets; D014427:Twins; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal