A comparison between the pregnancy outcome in women both with or without threatened abortion

To evaluate the pregnancy outcome in pregnancies with threatened abortion (miscarriage).

A prospective cohort study was performed on 1000 pregnant women. 500 women (case group), had a history of vaginal bleeding during the first half of pregnancy and the other 500 women (control group), did not have this history. Both groups of women were monitored from 20 weeks of pregnancy up to delivery.

The women of the 2 groups did not have any significant differences according to age, parity or body mass index (BMI). Spontaneous preterm delivery [126 cases (25.2%) vs. 47 cases (9.4%), P=0.001, adj RR=1.4, CI 95%=1.2-1.5], PROM [51 cases (10.2%) vs. 24 cases (4.8%), P=0.02, adj RR=2.1, CI95%=1.2-2.3], placental abruption [20 cases (4%) vs. 7 cases (1.4%) P=0.01, adj RR=1.1, CI 95%=1.01-1.2], were more in the case group. There were no differences between the 2 groups with regard to Preeclampsia, small for gestational age (SGA), and cesarean deliveries. Neonatal weight (in term pregnancies) in the case group was lower than in the control group (3046.4+/-560.8 g vs. 3317.6+/-432 g, P=0.001). There was a significant relationship between the number of bleeding episodes, spontaneous preterm delivery and placental abruption and there was also a significant relationship between the amount of bleeding and placental abruption.

Threatened abortion increases the rate of spontaneous preterm delivery, PROM and placental abruption, and decreases the neonatal weight. Therefore threatened abortion indicates a high risk pregnancy and, as such, demands more serious prenatal care.