[Spontaneous abortion after vaginal hemorrhage in intact early pregnancy--an etiologic analysis]

283 patients with vaginal bleeding before a gestational age of 16 weeks and positive foetal heart action were followed up by mean of ultrasound examination until termination of pregnancy. 18 pregnancies (7.5%) ended in spontaneous abortion. 44.4% of these abortions showed histological parameters of an infection, and in 16.6%, a sub-chorionic haematoma was diagnosed. In one case only a chromosomal anomaly (triploidy), was found. In 25 percent of the abortions, there was no evidence of histological abnormality. Since it could be demonstrated, that a bacteriological infection a possible cause of live abortions before 16 weeks of pregnancy, it could be concluded, that it might be possible to reduce live abortions by bacteriological examinations of the cervix and vagina followed by specific antibiotic treatment. If vaginal bleeding stopped during follow-up, the pregnancy outcome was normal.