Routine Hospitalization for Vasa Previa in the Third Trimester: Evidence Review and Clinical Implications

Vasa previa is a life-threatening pregnancy complication in which unprotected fetal vessels traverse or are adjacent to the internal cervical os. This condition puts the fetus at risk of death if these vessels rupture in labor. Although prenatal diagnosis has improved our ability to identify these cases, optimal prenatal management remains controversial. Routine hospitalization at 30 to 34 weeks has been advocated but outpatient management achieves equivalent perinatal outcomes in recent publications. Routine hospitalization may be excessive and potentially wrought with maternal complications, therefore, an individualized, risk-stratified approach determining hospitalization may be warranted in light of more recent literature.