Objective: To evaluate whether prophylactic chemotherapy (P-chem) with one bolus dose of actinomycin D (Act-D) during the uterine evacuation of patients with high-risk hydatidiform mole (Hr-HM) affects reproductive outcomes in subsequent pregnancies.
Methods: From 1987 to 2006, 1090 patients with gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) were evaluated at a Trophoblastic Disease Center in southern Brazil; 265 with Hr-HM were selected and retrospectively analyzed. From 1996 to 2006, 163 received one bolus dose of Act-D at the time of uterine evacuation (Hr-HM-chem group); 102 with the same risk factors did not get P-chem (Hr-HM-control group). In March 2009, the number of pregnancies, progression of first pregnancy, and association of low age and low parity with subsequent pregnancy were evaluated.
Results: The percentage of patients that became pregnant was similar in both groups (Hr-HM-control: 59.5%; Hr-HM-chem group: 45.7%; p=0.069) and independent of HM progression. Percentages of no pregnancies because of age (> or =40 years) or hysterectomy were also similar. Type of subsequent pregnancy was not statistically different between groups, and the rate of live births associated with pregnancies for which US showed a live fetus was high. Frequency of repeat GTD was unexpectedly high in both groups (4.2% and 6.3%; p=1.00).
Conclusions: P-chem did not affect reproductive outcomes for patients with Hr-HM. Patients allowed to become pregnant again in both groups had high rates of live births associated with normal pregnancies. Chances of a subsequent pregnancy were higher in the low age and low parity subgroups.