Successful term pregnancy after bilateral uterine artery embolization for postpartum hemorrhage

BACKGROUND: Selective bilateral uterine artery embolization has been used since the 1970s for the conservative treatment of postpartum hemorrhage. The fertility rate after the embolization procedure is yet to be determined. CASE: A 30-year-old woman presented with placental abruption and subsequently delivered preterm at 295/7 weeks' gestation. Her delivery was complicated by postpartum hemorrhage, for which selective bilateral uterine artery embolization was performed with successful cessation of the hemorrhage. Three months later, the patient presented with a spontaneous pregnancy. Her pregnancy resulted in an appropriately grown fetus delivered at 39 weeks' gestation. CONCLUSION: This is one of the earliest reported successful pregnancies after a bilateral uterine artery embolization procedure performed for postpartum hemorrhage. This case adds to a growing literature demonstrating that pregnancy after embolization is possible, and can occur soon after the procedure. (C) 2003 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.