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Published on: June 6, 2020
Induction of labor compared to dilation and evacuation for postmortem analysis
A K Lal1, M A Kominiarek, N M Sprawka
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Objective:
This study aimed to evaluate the ability to obtain autopsy and cytogenetics after midtrimester termination.
Methods:
A retrospective cohort study of women undergoing termination, via induction or dilation and evacuation (D&E), at 16 0/7-23 6/7 weeks was performed. Exclusion criteria were elective termination, preterm labor, PPROM, and no autopsy or cytogenetic exam performed. The ability to obtain cytogenetics and autopsy as well as complications rates were compared between the two groups with Chi-square tests.
Results:
Of the 469 women who met the inclusion criteria, 158 had an induction and 312 had a D&E. The induction of labor group had higher mean gestational ages, p < 0.01. Successful autopsy was more likely in the induction group, 94.3%, versus D&E group, 34.7%, p = 0.01. There was no difference in ability to obtain cytogenetics between the two groups, 89.1% in the induction group, and 92.3% in D&E group, p = 0.4. There was a difference in the total complication rates between the groups, 9.8% (26) in the induction versus 6.4% (20) in the D&E group, p < 0.01; however, there was no difference in major complications.
Conclusions:
Midtrimester terminations by induction were more likely to have successful autopsies when compared with D&E. The ability to obtain cytogenetics was similar regardless of termination mode.
