Pregnancy following cervical conization

Abstract

The effect of cone biopsy for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia on subsequent fertility and pregnancy was evaluated for 314 reproductive age women. Excluding patients lost to follow-up and those who had therapeutic hysterectomy, two study groups totaling 166 patients were obtained. The first consisted of 105 patients who did not become pregnant following conization. We found no evidence of secondary infertility caused by cervical conization. The second group of 61 patients achieved 88 pregnancies following conization. Comparison of these pregnancies with the outcome of 106 pregnancies by these same women prior to conization showed no effect of the operation on spontaneous abortions, preterm delivery, or cesarean section rates. The sole sequela of conization was to alter the duration of the first stage of labor.