Abstract
Objectives: This systematic review summarizes all published
uterine hemangioma cases in pregnant women.
Search strategy: The databases PubMed and Scopus were searched
systematically. The reference lists of all retrieved articles were also
screened.
Selection criteria: The online tool Rayyan QCRI was used for
registration of the selection process. Articles reporting on cases of
uterine hemangioma in pregnancy were included, non-English articles were
excluded.
Data collection and analysis: Data extraction was done by one
reviewer and thereafter verified by the second reviewer. All data were
described in a narrative format.
Results: Fifteen case reports were included. In most cases, the
diagnosis was established by antenatal ultrasound and pregnancy course
was uneventful. More than half of the patients developed a postpartum
hemorrhage, necessitating a hysterectomy for bleeding control in four
cases, although the risk for both seemed lower in those patients in whom
the hemangioma was diagnosed before delivery. One case of maternal
mortality and two cases of fetal death were reported. There was one case
of neonatal respiratory morbidity, although the neonatal data were not
routinely reported upon.
Conclusion: Current knowledge on uterine hemangioma in
pregnancy is limited, but it seems to hold substantial risks for both
mother and child. We recommend routine screening for this condition at
the standard mid-trimester anomaly scan. Pregnant women with uterine
hemangioma should ideally be cared for in centers of expertise. An
international registry will help to build a better understanding of this
rare pathology.
Funding: None.
Key words: hemangioma; uterine; pregnancy; case report; review