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Fetal diagnostic indications for second and third trimester outpatient pregnancy termination
Author(s) -
Hern Warren M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
prenatal diagnosis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.956
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1097-0223
pISSN - 0197-3851
DOI - 10.1002/pd.4324
Subject(s) - medicine , abortion , obstetrics , pregnancy , fetus , abnormality , gestational age , monochorionic twins , outpatient clinic , prenatal diagnosis , pediatrics , fetoscopy , gynecology , psychiatry , genetics , biology
Objective To determine the frequency of diagnostic indications among women seeking to terminate pregnancies for reasons of fetal abnormality, spontaneous fetal demise, or a genetic disorder in a private outpatient clinic specializing in late outpatient abortion procedures. Method A total of 1005 women requested termination of pregnancy for reasons of genetic disorder, fetal anomaly, or fetal demise over 20 years (1992–2012). Gestational ages ranged from 12 to 39 weeks. In all cases, a documented diagnosis of fetal abnormality or fetal demise was made prior to referral. Records were reviewed to verify fetal diagnosis for all patients seeking termination of pregnancy for reasons of fetal disorder. Major complications included major unintended surgery, hemorrhage requiring transfusion, or pelvic infection. Results Preoperative diagnoses included the following: chromosomal abnormalities ( n = 378), genetic syndromes and single gene disorders ( n = 30), structural anomalies ( n = 494), and other conditions ( n = 103). These include 26 cases of spontaneous fetal demise and nine selective terminations of one abnormal twin. The major complication rate was 0.5%. Conclusions The majority of diagnoses were in the categories of genetic disorder and neurologic abnormality. © 2014 The Authors. Prenatal Diagnosis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.