Hysteroscopy in the evaluation of habitual abortions.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the incidence of structural uterine anomalies (SUAs) in women with habitual abortion (HA) as diagnosed by means of hysteroscopy and to study hysteroscopy's therapeutic potential with regard to that pathology.


METHODS
Forty-eight women with more than three consecutive pregnancy losses which occurred prior to the 20th week were included and hysteroscopy was performed on all of them.


RESULTS
Twenty-five women (52%) had a normal hysteroscopy. The remaining 23 women (48%) presented SUAs: nine patients (19%) had intrauterine adhesions, four (8%) had submucous myomas, two (4%) had polyps and eight (17%) had congenital structural uterine anomalies (five cases of septate uterus and three of bicornuate uterus). Patients with abnormal hysteroscopy underwent appropriate therapy, when applicable. In the SUA group, 18 patients (78%) achieved a successful pregnancy, and five patients (22%) had another miscarriage. In the normal hysteroscopy group, eight patients (32%) achieved a successful pregnancy without additional treatment, 15 patients (60%) had recurrent miscarriages, and two patients (8%) had persistent secondary infertility.


CONCLUSIONS
SUAs were detected in nearly half of the patients with HA. After appropriate treatment when applicable, 78% of patients with SUAs achieved a successful ongoing pregnancy. Hysteroscopy has much to offer in the diagnosis and treatment of SUAs.
Dendrinos
S
S
2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Grigoriou
O
O
Sakkas
E G
EG
Makrakis
E
E
Creatsas
G
G
D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014599:Uterus / Q000002:abnormalities*