Office hysteroscopy study in consecutive miscarriage patients

Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2011 Jul-Aug;57(4):397-401.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence of uterine anatomical abnormalities found by office diagnostic hysteroscopy in a population of patients experiencing more than two consecutive miscarriages and compare the prevalence of uterine abnormalities between patients with two miscarriages and those with three or more consecutive miscarriages.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 66 patients with two or more consecutive miscarriages diagnosis was conducted. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A (up to two miscarriages, 23 patients), and Group B (3 miscarriages, 43 patients). They underwent an outpatient diagnostic hysteroscopy study, with either congenital or acquired abnormalities of the uterine cavity being identified.

Results: Uterine changes were found in 22 (33.3%) patients, with 9 cases of congenital changes [arcuate uterus (4 cases), septate uterus (2 cases), and bicornuate uterus (1 case)], and 13 patients with acquired changes [intrauterine adhesions (7 cases), endometrial polyp (4 cases), and uterine leiomyoma (2 cases)]. No significant differences were found between the groups as regarding both acquired and congenital uterine changes. A positive correlation was found between anatomical changes on hysteroscopy and number of miscarriages (r = 0.31; p = 0.02).

Conclusion: Patients with more than two miscarriages have a high prevalence of uterine cavity abnormalities diagnosed by hysteroscopy; however there are no differences in prevalence or distribution of these lesions related to the number of recurrent miscarriages.

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Habitual / etiology
  • Abortion, Habitual / pathology*
  • Adult
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hysteroscopy / methods*
  • Leiomyoma / complications
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Time Factors
  • Tissue Adhesions / complications
  • Uterine Neoplasms / complications
  • Uterus / abnormalities*