Myomas of the uterus in pregnancy: ultrasonographic follow-up.

A review was made of the medical records of pregnant patients who had myomas that were documented by ultrasonographic studies. Only 42% of the myomas were diagnosed by physical examination. In most instances the clinical diagnosis was made when the neoplasm was large. However, when the myoma was 3 cm to 5 cm in diameter, the rate of detection on physical examination was only 12.5%. The relationship between the location of the myomas and the placental site emerged as a significant prognostic clue to the outcome of the pregnancy. Ten of 13 patients in whom there was contact between the two presented with complications of pregnancy, mainly antepartum bleeding and premature rupture of membranes. A prospective study is currently in progress.