Reproductive outcomes in women with congenital uterine anomalies detected by three-dimensional ultrasound screening

• Published in: Obstetrics and gynecology (New York. 1953) Vol. 98; no. 6; pp. 1099 - 1103
• Main Authors: Woelfer, Brigitte, Salim, Rehan, Banerjee, Saikat, Elson, Janine, Regan, Lesley, Jurkovic, Davor
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-12-2001; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Abortion, Habitual - epidemiology; Abortion, Habitual - etiology; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; Female; Female genital diseases; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; London - epidemiology; Medical sciences; Non tumoral diseases; Obstetric Labor, Premature - epidemiology; Obstetric Labor, Premature - etiology; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Prevalence; Prospective Studies; Ultrasonography, Prenatal; Uterus - abnormalities; Uterus - diagnostic imaging; Sonography; Human; Prevalence; Pregnancy disorders; Premature delivery; Medical screening; Congenital disease; Abortion; Female genital diseases; Pregnancy; Uterus; Malformation; Echography; Uterine diseases; Adult; Evolution; Female; Incidentaloma
• ISSN: 0029-7844; 1873-233X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0029-7844(01)01599-X

OBJECTIVE:
To determine reproductive outcomes in women with congenital uterine anomalies detected incidentally by three-dimensional ultrasound.
METHODS:
We studied 1089 women with no history of infertility or recurrent miscarriage who were seen for a transvaginal ultrasound scan. They were screened for uterine abnormalities using three-dimensional ultrasound. We determined prevalence of miscarriage and preterm labor in women with normal and abnormal uterine morphology.
RESULTS:
We found that 983 women had a normally shaped uterine cavity, 72 an arcuate, 29 a subseptate, and five a bicornuate uterus. Women with a subseptate uterus had a significantly higher proportion of first-trimester loss (
Z = 4.68,
P < .01) compared with women with a normal uterus. Women with an arcuate uterus had a significantly greater proportion of second-trimester loss (
Z = 5.76,
P < .01) and preterm labor (
Z = 4.1,
P < .01). There were no other significant differences in pregnancy outcomes between women with normal and abnormal uterine morphology.
CONCLUSION:
This study shows the potential value of three-dimensional ultrasound and confirmed that women with congenital uterine anomalies were more likely to have adverse pregnancy outcomes than women with a normal uterus.