Document Detail


Nomenclature for pregnancy outcomes: time for a change.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  22105271     Owner:  NLM     Status:  In-Data-Review    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Traditionally, obstetricians have grouped together all pregnancy losses before the mid-second trimester as spontaneous abortions. However, this nomenclature is arbitrary, outdated, and not clinically useful. Using this system, miscarriages due to genetic abnormalities, fetal deaths associated with abnormal placental growth and development, and spontaneous preterm births of liveborn fetuses at previable gestations are lumped together in a single category. In addition, the term abortion is fraught with emotional connotations for families suffering the loss of a pregnancy. Thus, whereas the existing classification for pregnancy loss has served a somewhat pragmatic role, it ignores precepts of developmental biology and the clinical realities of these adverse pregnancy outcomes. In this article, we propose a more useful nomenclature for pregnancy loss and preterm births that is informative and is based on developmental periods in gestation and shared pathophysiology.
Authors:
Robert M Silver; D Ware Branch; Robert Goldenberg; Jay D Iams; Mark A Klebanoff
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Obstetrics and gynecology     Volume:  118     ISSN:  1873-233X     ISO Abbreviation:  Obstet Gynecol     Publication Date:  2011 Dec 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2011-11-22     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0401101     Medline TA:  Obstet Gynecol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1402-8     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
From the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Drexel University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio.
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