title: Termination of pregnancy and reasons for delayed decisions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the indications and distribution of cases chosen for termination of pregnancy and reasons delaying until third trimester termination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of cases between 2002 and 2006 in the hospital council. Cases were divided in two groups, as early termination (<23 weeks of gestation) and late termination (≥23 weeks of gestation). All pregnant women who underwent termination were classified according to related systemic pathology and chorionicity. Reasons for delaying until third trimester termination were evaluated in four groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During this five year period 1.449 complicated pregnancies were counseled and in 713 cases termination was offered. Of 677 cases (94.95%) with termination, 412 cases (60.09%) had early and 265 cases (39.91%) late termination. The most frequent indications were central nervous system abnormalities (51.7%), chromosomal abnormalities (11.7%), and urogenital abnormalities (8.4%). The main reason for delaying termination was failure of screening by ultrasound (65.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systematic screening for fetal anomalies is the main step for prevention of affected pregnancies. Information given to parents for TOP is important, but the decision for TOP is influenced by many factors.
authors.affiliation: İstanbul Bakırköy Maternity and Children Diseases Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perinatology Unit, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gedikbaşı
authors.affiliation: İstanbul Bakırköy Maternity and Children Diseases Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perinatology Unit, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gül
authors.affiliation: İstanbul Bakırköy Maternity and Children Diseases Hospital, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kazım
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oztarhan
authors.affiliation: İstanbul Bakırköy Maternity and Children Diseases Hospital, Division of Neonatology, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Akın
authors.affiliation: İstanbul Bakırköy Maternity and Children Diseases Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perinatology Unit, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Akif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sargın
authors.affiliation: İstanbul Bakırköy Maternity and Children Diseases Hospital, Division of Neonatology, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozek
authors.affiliation: İstanbul Bakırköy Maternity and Children Diseases Hospital, Division of Neonatology, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sultan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kavuncuoğlu
authors.affiliation: İstanbul Bakırköy Maternity and Children Diseases Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perinatology Unit, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yavuz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ceylan
keywords: Prenatal diagnosis; fetal anomaly; pregnancy termination