International Journal of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Background: Spontaneous abortion is a common complication of early pregnancy and has been implicated in increasing the risk of adverse outcomes in subsequent gestations. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the association between previous spontaneous abortion and obstetric as well as perinatal outcomes in later pregnancies.

Aim: To assess and compare the obstetric outcomes among women with a previous spontaneous abortion and those with previous full-term delivery.

Methods: A prospective case-control study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at a tertiary care hospital over 18 months. A total of 190 antenatal women beyond 28 weeks of gestation were enrolled and divided into two groups-95 women with previous spontaneous abortion (cases) and 95 with previous full-term delivery (controls). Data on maternal complications, mode of delivery, and neonatal outcomes were collected prospectively. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.0, and significance was determined at p< 0.05.

Results: Adverse pregnancy outcomes were significantly higher among women with a previous abortion compared to controls. The incidence of preterm delivery (34.7% vs. 14.7%), low birth weight (34.7% vs. 17.9%), preeclampsia (17.9% vs. 7.4%), intrauterine growth restriction (17.9% vs. 7.4%), and NICU admissions (22.1% vs. 11.6%) were markedly increased in the case group. Overall, 57.9% of women with previous abortion experienced at least one adverse obstetric outcome compared to 29.5% of controls (p< 0.001).

Conclusion: A history of spontaneous abortion was associated with a higher incidence of maternal and neonatal complications in subsequent pregnancies. Such women should be considered high-risk and require vigilant antenatal surveillance, early detection of complications, and timely obstetric intervention to improve pregnancy outcomes.