[Maternal deaths due to gestational trophoblastic diseases, results from the French confidential enquiry into...

Gestational trophoblastic diseases (GTD) correspond to several entities which all have a common pattern: hypersecretion of human chorionic gondotrophin by trophoblastic hyperplasia. Between 2010 and 2012, there were 4 maternal deaths due to GTD (choriocarcinoma). The ratio of maternal death caused by GTD was 0,16/100,000 living births which was similar to the rate from the 2007-2009 period. These deaths represented 1.6% from the whole maternal mortality and 3.3% of the direct maternal mortality. These four deaths occurred after delivery and the diagnosis of GTD was made between 60 and 180 days in the postpartum period. Two cases seemed to be potentially avoidable. The main causes of suboptimal management were linked to delay either in diagnosis of GTD or in initiating the appropriate treatment. The analysis of these maternal deaths gave the opportunity to stress some major lessons to optimize medical management of GTD. Therefore, a patient presenting with persistent bleedings more than six weeks after delivery needs some specific exams such as plasma human chorionic gondotrophin measurement and histopathologic examination to affirm GTD and start early specific treatments generally leading to complete recovery.