Ultrasonographic Findings in Pregnant Women with Clinically Diagnosed Threatened Abortion at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital

Abstract

Objective: To determine the ultrasonographic findings in pregnant women with threatened abortion.
Study design: Prospective descriptive study
Setting: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital
Patients and methods: During April 1, 1999 to March 31, 2000, 156 pregnant women of equal to or under 20 weeks of gestation, diagnosed as threatened abortion and attended the out-patient clinic, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, were recruited for ultrasonographic study. The ultrasonographic findings were recorded in regard to gestational sac size and appearance, fetal pole, fetal movement, fetal cardiac activity, yolk sac and other abnormalities in uterine and pelvic cavity. Patients with inconclusive findings were followed weekly until final diagnoses were established.
Results: The mean age of pregnant women with threatened abortion was 28.4 years. Most of them had multigravidarum and no history of abortion. Mean gestational age was 9.9 weeks and mend day of vaginal bleeding was 3.6 days. The ultrasonographic findings were 60 alive fetuses (38.5%), 39 blighted ovums (25.0%), 32 early fetal deaths (missed abortion and death embryo) (20.5%), 18 complete abortions (11.5%), 5 ectopic pregnancies (3.2%) and 2 molar pregnancies (1.3%).
Conclusion: The ultrasonographic findings in pregnant woman with threatened abortion demonstrated alive fetuses in 38.5% and non-alive fetuses in 61.5% of cases. The results may assist obstetricians in differential diagnosis so that a proper and appropriate treatment could be offered to the patients to reduce anxiety, complications, morbidity and mortality.