Subsequent reproductive experience after treatment for gestational trophoblastic disease

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate reproductive performance of patients with gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) after completion of treatment and follow-up periods.

Patients and methods: Subjects comprised 115 patients who became pregnant after having been judged completely cured after a follow-up period of at least 1 year. There were 77 hydatidiform-mole patients who had a natural cure and 38 gestational trophoblastic tumor patients who were cured after chemotherapy. We studied these patients with respect to parameters concerning pregnancy outcome.

Results: Average age at first pregnancy was 28.0 and average number of past deliveries was 1.3. After a 1-year contraception period, the average time to the next pregnancy was 0.8 year, with 59 of 115 (51.3%) women becoming pregnant within 1 year after pregnancy was permitted and 98 women (85.2%) conceiving within 3 years. Results of the pregnancies after cure of GTD did not deviate from normal ranges in separated analyses of complete mole (CM), partial mole (PM), and gestational trophoblastic tumor. Rate of repeat mole was found to be high, occurring in 5 of 115 (4.3%) cases. Rates of antepartum and postpartum complications did not deviate from normal ranges, and there was nothing peculiar about the neonatal sex and weight.

Conclusion: GTD and chemotherapy rarely affect later pregnancies; however, the rate of repeat mole is relatively high.