Effects of prophylactic uterine artery embolization on second-trimester induced abortions in patients with placenta previa.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of prophylactic uterine artery embolization (UAE) on second-trimester induced abortions in patients with placenta previa.

METHODS

The present study was a retrospective review of second-trimester induced abortions in the presence of placenta previa that conducted between January 1, 2008, and October 31, 2017, at a university hospital in Hangzhou, China. Pregnancy outcomes including intraoperative blood loss, transfusion, dilatation and evacuation, hysterotomy delivery, and hysterectomy were compared between patients with and without prophylactic UAE.

RESULTS

There were 54 patients included in the study. In patients with partial placenta previa (n=15), the volume of intraoperative blood loss and the frequency of dilatation and evacuation were not significantly different between the UAE and non-UAE groups (P>0.05). No patient had a transfusion, hysterotomy delivery, or hysterectomy. Among patients with complete placenta previa (n=39), the volumes of intraoperative blood loss (P=0.014) and transfusion (P=0.046) were significantly lower in the UAE group compared with the non-UAE group. The rates of dilatation and evacuation, and hysterotomy delivery did not differ between the groups (P>0.05), but were numerically higher in the non-UAE group. No patient was treated with hysterectomy.

CONCLUSION

Prophylactic UAE before a second-trimester induced abortion had significant advantages in women with complete placenta previa, but it did not improve the pregnancy outcome in patients with partial placenta previa.

CHINESE CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: ChiCTR-OPC-14005334.