Elsevier

The Lancet

Volume 364, Issue 9435, 21–27 August 2004, Pages 705-707
The Lancet

Research Letters
Routine terminations of pregnancy—should we screen for gestational trophoblastic neoplasia?

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16898-0Get rights and content

Summary

After termination of pregnancy for non-medical reasons, the products of conception are often not routinely examined for gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. Between 1995 and 2001 we identified 15 women without and 36 women with a pathological diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia at the time of their pregnancy termination. Women without a diagnosis were significantly more likely to have subsequent life-threatening complications of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (four of 15 vs none of 36; p=0·003), and to require surgical intervention (15 of 15 vs one of 36; p<0·0001) and chemotherapy (nine of 15 vs two of 36; p<0·0001). All women should be screened for gestational trophoblastic neoplasia after termination of pregnancy.

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