Increased risk of placenta previa is associated with endometriosis and tubal factor infertility in assisted reproductive technology pregnancy

Abstract

Although assisted reproductive technology (ART) is suspected to increase the risk of placenta previa, a life-threatening complication of pregnancy, the reason is poorly understood. We recruited consecutive 318 pregnancies conceived by ART in our clinic and examined relation of ten variables, i.e. maternal age, gravidity, parity, male or female fetus, previous abortion, previous cesarean delivery, endometriosis, ovulatory disorder, tubal disease, and male infertility, to placenta previa, by logistic regression analysis. As a result, we found that endometriosis (odds ratio = 15.1; 95% CI = 7.6–500.0) and tubal disease (odds ratio = 4.4; 95% CI = 1.1–26.3) were significantly associated with placenta previa. It would be preferable to take the increased risk of placenta previa into account in treating ART pregnancy with endometriosis and tubal disease.

Keywords::

• Assisted reproductive technology
• endometriosis
• placenta previa
• tubal disease

Acknowledgements

This study is partly supported by grants from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Declaration of Interest: The authors have nothing to disclose.