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Purpose: To assess fetal central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities presenting as major findings leading to late termination of pregnancy (late TOP) performed ≥ 24 weeks' gestation., Method: The study population included 2789 pregnant women that underwent late TOP in our institute between the years 1998 and 2015., Results: Fifty-seven cases (2.0%) underwent late TOP because of fetal CNS indications and are the subjects of the current study. Those cases were subdivided into four categories (1) no routine prenatal screening with an incidental finding discovered ≥ 24 weeks' gestation (25 patients, 43.8%); (2) developmental or acquired findings detected during late second and third trimester (22 patients, 38.6%); (3) apparently normal routine screening with abnormal findings that could have been detected earlier (six patients, 10.6%); (4) routine prenatal care raised suspicion of abnormalities, and the final diagnosis was established only following additional tests (four patients, 7.0%)., Conclusions: Combining the two categories of CNS abnormalities, i.e., pregnant women who did not undergo any fetal evaluation (group 1) and those that could have been detected earlier (group 3) consists 54% from our cohort in which late TOP could have been avoided. On contrary, 39% fetuses from our study population had CNS developmental findings which could be detected only at advanced stage of gestation.

Background: Despite the large volume of evidence on the management of retained products of conception (RPOC), there are virtually no data regarding the optimal time frame of surgical intervention in case of RPOC., Objectives: To examine whether the time interval between spontaneous vaginal delivery or pregnancy termination and the uterine evacuation due to pathologically confirmed RPOC influences the reproductive outcome., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all the records of women who were admitted to our department due to pathologically confirmed RPOC following either spontaneous vaginal delivery or pregnancy termination between January 2000 and December 2010. Based on the median time from delivery or pregnancy termination until the operative intervention in the study group, patients were stratified into two groups: early intervention (< 3 weeks) and late intervention (> 3 weeks). Reproductive outcomes were compared between the two study groups., Results: Reproductive outcomes were analyzed in 172 patients with pathologically confirmed RPOC. Of them, 95 (55.2%) were included in the early intervention group and 77 (44.8%) in the late intervention group. There were no significant differences in the conception rate, mean time to conception, and the occurrence rate of a new infertility problem in women with early surgical intervention compared to those with late surgical intervention (P > 0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the groups in the pregnancy outcomes following RPOC., Conclusions: Early surgical intervention in women with pathologically confirmed RPOC following spontaneous vaginal delivery or pregnancy termination yields the same reproductive outcomes as late surgical intervention.

Objective: The objective was to explore the prevalence of and risk factors for inadequate cervical dilation following insertion of a single set of laminaria in women scheduled for dilation & evacuation (D&E) at 14-24 weeks' gestation., Study Design: We retrospectively reviewed all cases of women who underwent pregnancy termination by D&E at 14-24 weeks' gestation between January 2003 and December 2013. All cases in which the surgical procedure was cancelled due to failure to achieve adequate cervical dilation after a single set of laminaria inadequate cervical dilation were included. The control group was women who underwent D&E following adequate cervical dilation after a single set of laminaria, and were matched according to gestational week in a ratio of 1:3., Results: The overall dilation failure rate was 3.2%, with 4.0% among the induced-abortion patients and 1.5% among the patients with fetal demise (p=.002). Patients who had inadequate cervical dilation had lower rates of gravidity (p=.002) and previous spontaneous vaginal delivery (p<.001), along with higher rates of primigravidity, nulliparity (p<.001), previous cesarean section/s (p=.041), previous abdominal surgeries (p=.001) and previous cervical procedures (p=.003), compared to controls. A multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed two risk factors for inadequate cervical dilation following laminaria insertion, namely, previous cesarean section (p=.002) and previous cervical procedure (p<.001), whereas increased gravidity was found to protect against inadequate cervical dilation (p=.002)., Conclusions: Previous cesarean section/s, cervical procedures and primigravidity were found to be risk factors for failure to achieve adequate cervical dilation after a single set of laminaria. Women who are scheduled for D&E, and in whom one of these risk factors exists, might benefit from additional interventions to achieve better cervical preparation., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To address the consequences of surgical curettage following failed medical abortion., Methods: A retrospective case-control study was performed in a tertiary gynecologic department. The case group comprised 104 women who underwent surgical curettage following failed medical abortion; the control group included 104 women who underwent early surgically induced abortion. Clinical characteristics and surgical findings were examined. The extent of inflammation was quantified following immunohistochemical staining for cell-surface markers characteristic of T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and macrophages. The extent of necrosis was evaluated morphologically., Results: Abnormal findings during surgical curettage were significantly more prevalent among women in the case group than in the control group (10.6% versus 1.9%; P=0.019). The most frequent abnormality in the case group was the presence of intimately adherent products of conception, necessitating sharp curettage. The extent of inflammation (represented by increased numbers of T and B lymphocytes) was greater in the case group than in the control group (P=0.046 and P=0.001, respectively), as was the extent of necrosis (P<0.05)., Conclusion: Curettage following failed medical abortion harbors particular difficulties, which may be attributed to an inflammatory response. The long-term consequences of curettage following failed medical abortion warrant further investigation., (Copyright © 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To characterize the clinical and laboratory features of coagulopathy following second-trimester surgical abortions. DESIGN. Retrospective study., Setting: Gynecologic unit of a university-affiliated medical center., Population: 1249 consecutive women underwent late second-trimester (16-24 weeks) surgical abortions between January 2002 and June 2010. Of those, 20 women (1.6%) were diagnosed with excessive bleeding accompanied by coagulopathy., Methods: Women were divided into two groups based on whether the abortion was performed for fetal demise (n=14) or pregnancy termination (n=6)., Main Outcome Measures: Gestational age, indication for abortion, blood clotting tests, number of blood products and coagulation factors administered., Results: Women who had pregnancy termination began to bleed significantly earlier than those with fetal demise (p<0.05). A significantly higher number of women with fetal demise had a gradual deterioration of the clotting test, compared with women who had pregnancy termination (p<0.05). In women with fetal demise, early bleeding was associated with a more severe clinical presentation., Conclusions: Coagulopathy following surgical abortion manifests differentially in women who have fetal demise and those who have pregnancy termination, implying a different pathophysiology. Women with fetal demise suffering from excessive bleeding following surgical abortion accompanied with mild clotting test abnormalities should be carefully monitored to diagnose and treat an impending disseminated intravascular coagulation., (© 2011 The Authors Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica © 2011 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.)

Objective: To assess whether there is an increased perioperative risk in termination of late second-trimester pregnancy after multiple cesarean sections by laminaria dilatation and evacuation., Study Design: During the period between January 2002 and June 2008, 636 consecutive patients underwent late second-trimester (17-24 weeks) pregnancy terminations by dilatation and evacuation. Patients were divided into 3 subgroups: those with no previous cesarean section (n = 545), those with 1 previous cesarean section (n = 59), and those with several previous cesarean sections (n = 32)., Results: There were no significant differences in major perioperative complications, such as anesthetic complications, need for blood transfusion, and cervical lacerations comparing the 3 subgroups. Importantly, there were neither cases of uterine perforation nor retained products of conception in the 3 subgroups., Conclusion: Late second-trimester pregnancy termination after multiple cesarean sections by laminaria dilatation and evacuation is probably not associated with an increased perioperative risk. Larger studies are needed to empower this study.

Objective: To compare outcome in women undergoing termination of multiple pregnancy as compared with singleton pregnancy at 18-24 weeks' gestation by Laminaria dilatation and evacuation., Study Design: The medical records of 372 consecutive women undergoing does not increase pregnancy termination by Laminaria dilatation and evacuation at 18-24 weeks' gestation between January 1997 and December 2001 were reviewed and divided into a group with multiple pregnancies (38 cases) and a group with singleton pregnancies (334 cases). The 2 groups were then compared for differences in patient characteristics, indications for pregnancy termination and operative outcome. Statistical methods included Student's t and chi2 test., Results: Patients with multiple pregnancies were significantly older (P < .01), and a greater percentage of them were married (P < .001). The percentage of pregnancies following infertility treatment was also significantly higher in the group with multiple pregnancies (P < .0001). Furthermore, significantly more patients with multiple than singleton pregnancy underwent pregnancy termination due to preterm premature rupture of membranes (42.1% vs. 0.3%) (P < .00001), while significantly more singleton pregnancies were terminated due to structural and chromosomal fetal malformations (34.5% vs 10.6%) (P = .03). Operative outcome between the study groups differed mainly regarding blood transfusion; it was significantly greater in the group of patients undergoing multiple, as compared with singleton, termination (7.9% vs. 0.3%) (P < .00001). The group with multiple pregnancy had a longer hospital stay (1.7 +/- 0.9 vs. 1.2 +/- 0.5 days) (P < .001)., Conclusion: Termination of multiple pregnancies at 18-24 weeks' by dilatation and evacuation appears safe when performed by skilled surgeons. There is an increased need for blood transfusion.