[Clinical features of missed abortion].

RATIONALE

There is no general agreement concerning the definition of missed abortion which remains one of the most commonly encountered pregnancy complication of an extremely variable clinical picture.

AIM OF THIS STUDY

The analysis of the clinical symptoms of missed abortion.

SETTING

Academic Medical Center.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Consecutive 50 women with non-viable pregnancy from 7 to 22 weeks, diagnosed by clinical examination, ultrasonography and serum beta-HCG evaluation were studied.

RESULTS

In 92% of the missed abortion cases a vaginal spotting was observed before the diagnosis was established. The average period of the estimated retention of the products of conception was 2.8 weeks. In only one patients this period exceeded 8 weeks. The reverse correlation was established between the gravidity of a patient and the period of asymptomatic retention of the non-viable conception products in uterus. The obtained results confirm that the onset of vaginal bleeding does not reflect the moment of embryonal/fetal death.