Pregnancy and delivery outcomes after abdominal vs. laparoscopic myomectomy: an evaluation of an American population database

Fertil Steril. 2025 Jan;123(1):164-172. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2024.08.321. Epub 2024 Aug 14.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate population characteristics and obstetric complications after abdominal myomectomy vs. laparoscopic myomectomy.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Patient(s): A total of 13,868 and 338 pregnancies after abdominal or laparoscopic myomectomy, respectively.

Exposure: Obstetrics outcomes following abdominal and laparoscopic myomectomy were collected.

Main outcome measure(s): Obstetric outcomes after abdominal or laparoscopic myomectomies were collected using hospital discharges from 2004 to 2014 inclusively, and adjusted using multiple and binomial logistic regression in different models for age, obesity, chronic hypertension, and pregestational diabetes mellitus. Pregnancy, delivery, and neonatal outcomes were analyzed.

Result(s): Abdominal myomectomy were characterized by younger patients, lower rates of Caucasian, chronic hypertension, pregestational diabetes, active smoking, illicit drug use, and higher rates of previous cesarean delivery, and multiple gestations when compared with laparoscopic myomectomy. Pregnant women with laparoscopic myomectomy had decreased rates of pregnancy-induced hypertension (adjusted risk ratios [aRR], 0.12; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 0.006-0.24]), gestational hypertension (aRR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.08-0.76), pre-eclampsia (aRR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.07-0.48), and pre-eclampsia or eclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension (aRR, 0.03; 95% CI, 0.005-0.3), gestational diabetes mellitus (aRR, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.06-0.34), preterm premature rupture of membranes (aRR, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.02-0.96), preterm delivery (aRR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.23-0.55), and cesarean delivery (aRR, 0.01; 95% CI, 0.007-0.01) and small for gestational age (aRR, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.005-0.04), compared with abdominal myomectomy group. Laparoscopic myomectomy group had a higher rate of spontaneous (aRR, 35.57; 95% CI, 22.53-62.66), and operative vaginal delivery (aRR, 10.2; 95% CI, 8.3-12.56), uterine rupture (aRR, 6.1; 95% CI, 3.2-11.63), postpartum hemorrhage (aRR, 3.54; 95% CI, 2.62-4.8), hysterectomy (aRR, 7.74; 95% CI, 5.27-11.4), transfusion (aRR, 3.34; 95% CI, 2.54-4.4), pulmonary embolism (aRR, 7.44; 95% CI, 2.44-22.71), disseminated intravascular coagulation (aRR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.47-5.21), maternal infection (aRR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.1-2.5), death (aRR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.31-3.2), and intrauterine fetal death (aRR, 2.99; 95% CI, 1.72-5.2) compared with the abdominal myomectomy group.

Conclusion(s): Women who had a previous abdominal myomectomy have underlying risk factors for hypertension disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes. Women who underwent laparoscopic myomectomies have higher risks of bleeding, uterine rupture, resultant complications, and death, and should be monitored as high-risk patients, like abdominal myomectomies.

Keywords: Obstetric complications; cesarean section; mode of delivery; open myomectomy; uterine rupture.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Databases, Factual*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Laparoscopy* / adverse effects
  • Leiomyoma / surgery
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Outcome / epidemiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Uterine Myomectomy* / adverse effects
  • Uterine Myomectomy* / statistics & numerical data
  • Uterine Neoplasms / surgery
  • Young Adult