The impact of conisation on pregnancy outcome

The objective of present study was to investigate whether conisation is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in Flanders, Belgium. Therefore a retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Antwerp University Hospital.

The study was approved by the Ethical Committee and based on a questionnaire as well as on medical records. Confounders, like smoking, alcohol use, drug use, chronic illness, and gynaecological disorders during pregnancy were all taken into account. A multiple logistic regression was performed for an association between adverse pregnancy outcomes and confounders.

The study showed that there was association between conisation, low birth weight, and caesarean section. After conisation there was a significantly higher risk of 3.275 on a low birth weight. The risk of a caesarean section after conisation was tripled. A gynaecological disorder during the pregnancy had a significantly higher risk of delivering a child with a low birth weight and a higher risk of a caesarean section. Smoking and a chronic illness gave a significant higher risk of caesarean section.

Conisation is easy to perform and highly effective in the prevention of cervical cancer. Conisation has a high morbidity, as it is associated with severe adverse pregnancy outcome. A conisation should therefore only be performed on a true indication; otherwise it will be the victim of its own success.