Vasa previa: the impact of prenatal diagnosis on outcomes

To evaluate outcomes and predictors of neonatal survival in pregnancies complicated by vasa previa and to compare outcomes in prenatally diagnosed cases of vasa previa with those not diagnosed prenatally.

We performed a multicenter study of 155 pregnancies complicated by vasa previa. Cases were obtained from the Vasa Previa Foundation and 6 large hospitals. Comparisons were made between groups based on prenatal diagnosis status and neonatal survival.

The overall perinatal mortality was 36% (55 of 155). In 61 cases (39%), vasa previa was diagnosed prenatally; 59 of 61 (97%) infants from these pregnancies survived compared with 41 of 94 (44%) in cases not diagnosed prenatally (P <.001). Median 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores in cases diagnosed prenatally were 8 and 9, respectively, compared with 1 and 4 among survivors in cases not diagnosed prenatally (P <.001). More than half (24 of 41) of surviving neonates born to women without prenatal diagnosis required blood transfusions compared with 2 of 59 diagnosed prenatally (P <.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the only significant predictors of neonatal survival were prenatal diagnosis (P <.001) and gestational age at delivery (P =.01).

Good outcomes with vasa previa depend primarily on prenatal diagnosis and cesarean delivery at 35 weeks of gestation or earlier should rupture of membranes, labor, or significant bleeding occur.