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Second trimester dilation and evacuation: a risk factor for preterm birth?

Journal of Perinatology volume 35, pages 1006–1010 (2015)Cite this article

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Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate whether second trimester pregnancy termination with dilation and evacuation (D&E) vs induction of labor (IOL) affects subsequent risk of preterm birth.

Study Design:

Our cohort was a retrospective cohort of women undergoing second trimester pregnancy termination for fetal anomalies, fetal death or previable premature rupture of membranes. We analyzed the rates of spontaneous delivery <37 weeks in the first pregnancy following the termination. We also compared preterm birth rates in our cohort with national averages and analyzed by the total number of prior procedures.

Result:

There were 173 women in our cohort. Women who had undergone a D&E (n=130) were less likely to have a subsequent preterm birth (6.9 vs 30.2%; P<0.01). This held true for a low risk subset without obstetric risk factors. There was no statistical difference in preterm birth rates for women who had undergone a D&E as compared with national averages, nor between the rates of preterm birth for women with 0, 1, 2 or 3 or more prior first or second trimester procedures.

Conclusion:

We did not find that D&E was a risk factor for preterm delivery when compared with women with a prior IOL or national rates.

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Acknowledgements

These data were presented at the 35th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, 2 to 7 February 2015, San Diego, CA, USA. Financial support was provided for this project in the form of department funds.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    S E Little & N A Smith

  2. Division of Family Planning, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    E Janiak & D Bartz

Authors
  1. S E Little
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  2. E Janiak
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  4. N A Smith
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Correspondence to S E Little.

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Little, S., Janiak, E., Bartz, D. et al. Second trimester dilation and evacuation: a risk factor for preterm birth?. J Perinatol 35, 1006–1010 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2015.132

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2015.132

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