Mid-trimester dilation and evacuation with laminaria does not increase the risk for severe subsequent pregnancy complications.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate subsequent pregnancy outcomes in women with a previous mid-trimester (12-24 weeks) pregnancy termination by dilation and evacuation (D&E) as compared to women without a previous D&E.


METHODS
Medical records for women who underwent a D&E between 1995 and 2003 were identified and reviewed. Women with subsequent pregnancies were compared on a 1:2 basis with women in a control group who had viable pregnancies and no previous mid-trimester DE. Outcomes of interest included preterm labor, placental abnormalities, and a composite complication outcome.


RESULTS
Of the 317 women who underwent a D&E, 85 had viable subsequent pregnancies. These women delivered slightly earlier than the 170 controls (38.9 versus 39.5 weeks, p=0.001), although there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with regard to birth weights, spontaneous preterm delivery, abnormal placentation, and overall complication rate.


CONCLUSIONS
Mid-trimester termination by D&E does not increase the rate of clinically significant subsequent pregnancy complications.
Jackson
J E
JE
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Grobman
W A
WA
Haney
E
E
Casele
H
H
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004107:Dilatation and Curettage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature; D010920:Placenta / Q000002:abnormalities; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014619:Vacuum Curettage / Q000009:adverse effects*