Pregnancy termination indications and outcomes before 24 weeks of gestation: A case series

Termination indication and outcomes

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to assess termination of pregnancy (TOP) indications and obstetric outcomes before the 24th gestational week.

Material and Method: This is a retrospective study that includes terminations performed in singleton pregnancies between December 2021 and December 2022 in the Perinatology Clinic of Necmettin Erbakan University (NEU) Meram Medical Faculty. According to the reasons for TOP, all patients were divided into three groups: maternal, fetal, and obstetric reasons. The termination approach and outcomes were evaluated in all cases.

Results: A total of 210 patients were included in the study. Considering termination indications, 18 (8.5%) patients had maternal causes, 127 (60.5%) had fetal causes, and 65 (31%) had obstetric causes. Maternal causes were significantly higher in the first trimester and fetal causes in the second trimester (p = 0.001). In the maternal group, 77.8% dilatation and curettage (D&C) were used, 70.1% misoprostol and 29.9% misoprostol + Foley catheter in the fetal group, and 66.2% misoprostol in the obstetric group (p = 0.0001). The length of hospital stay and recurrent revision curettage were not statistically different between the fetal, maternal, and obstetric groups (p=0.099, p=0.8, respectively).

Conclusion: Termination options should be offered for complicated pregnancies due to fetal, maternal, or obstetric reasons. Pregnancy termination week and indication affect morbidity.

Keywords: fetal anomaly, morbidity, pregnancy, termination