Pregnancy complications following conization of the uterine cervix (I).

The literature on the course of pregnancies following conization of the uterine cervix has been studied. It is demonstrated that an evaluation of the possible effect of conization upon subsequent pregnancy should be based upon a comparison of either pregnancies before and after conization or upon a comparison between pregnancies in women with a previous conization and in a control group of women without conization. In both cases the possible influence of conization can be evaluated only if the patient material is described as regards age, parity, number of previous pregnancies, smoking habits, etc., factors which may all influence the course of pregnancy. None of the previous publications have described the patient material sufficiently, and most studies have not tried to set up control groups. Due to these deficiencies we do not find it justified that conization leads to reduced fertility, increased frequency of spontaneous abortion, nor to increased perinatal mortality. An increased prematurity rate may not be rejected, however, but this point has not been adequately evaluated in the previous papers.