title: Does prior hysteroscopy affect pregnancy outcome in primigravid infertile women?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An increasing proportion of infertile women are subjected to hysteroscopy. The effect of hysteroscopy on the pregnancy rate in assisted reproduction has been demonstrated to be favorable, but cervical dilation in the course of hysteroscopy may have an adverse effect on pregnancy outcome. We sought to investigate the effect of hysteroscopy on the risk of early miscarriage, preterm delivery, low birthweight, and other complications of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a longitudinal retrospective cohort study at a university hospital. Data of 654 first-time singleton pregnancies between January 1997 and March 2011 in women with primary infertility were retrieved from a prospective data collection. Four cohorts were constructed based on exposure to hysteroscopy and pregnancy outcome (early miscarriage vs live birth). The primary endpoint was the duration of pregnancy at 37 weeks. Pregnancy outcomes of 167 infertile patients exposed to cervical dilation and hysteroscopy were compared with those of 327 infertile women unexposed to hysteroscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of miscarriage, preterm birth, placenta previa, and premature rupture of membranes after maternal exposure to hysteroscopy was similar to that in women not exposed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prior hysteroscopy in infertile women does not affect subsequent pregnancy outcome.
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine Clinic, University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moffat
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine Clinic, University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bergsma
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine Clinic, University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Gideon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sartorius
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine Clinic, University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raggi
authors.affiliation: Gynecology Clinic, Canton Hospital Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Güth
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine Clinic, University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: Christian.DeGeyter@usb.ch.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Geyter
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050498:Live Birth / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010923:Placenta Previa / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology; D057216:Propensity Score; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: cervical dilation; hysteroscopy; placenta previa; pregnancy outcome; preterm birth