Uterine leiomyoma in pregnancy: its influence on obstetric performance

Abstract

Objective: To assess the effects of uterine leiomyoma on obstetrical performance.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 102 women with singleton pregnancies who were found ultrasonographically to have uterine leiomyomas during the first half of their pregnancy and who gave birth at our hospital at > or = 22 weeks of gestation between January 1990 and December 1997.

Results: The 102 women gave birth to 101 healthy infants, weighing 2,974 +/- 579 g at 38.8 +/- 2.6 weeks of pregnancy. One woman experienced an unexplained antepartum fetal death at 24 weeks of gestation. Bleeding at the first trimester occurred in 16% of the women. Pain localized in the lower abdomen and requiring relief occurred in 28% of the women during the first or second trimester. Tocolytic treatment was required in 25% of the pregnancies, and preterm delivery occurred in 12% thereof. A cesarean section was performed in 39% of the pregnancies. Bleeding > or = 500 ml occurred at delivery in 48% of the cases. The largest fibroid, > 6 cm in diameter, which was seen in 51 women, was associated with higher frequencies of tocolytic treatment (41%), preterm delivery (24%), bleeding > or = 500 ml at delivery (59%), and cesarean delivery (51%). In 76 women (75%) who attempted vaginal delivery, the obstetrical outcome was comparable to that of 115 control women who were matched regarding age, parity, and gestational week.

Conclusions: Although pain in the lower abdomen, the requirement of tocolytic treatment, preterm delivery, and cesarean delivery were common, the neonatal outcome was fairly good in women with uterine leiomyomas. The present data might be encouraging to pregnant women with uterine leiomyomas.