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INTRODUCTION: The incidence of cervical dysplasia in pregnancy is expected to rise as patients delay childbearing. Historical studies have quoted high rates of postpartum regression of lesions diagnosed in pregnancy. We sought to evaluate the relationship between maternal age and postpartum progression, regression, and persistence of high-grade lesions. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients with biopsy-proven high-grade dysplasia diagnosed during pregnancy from January 2013 to December 2022. Institutional review board approval was obtained. Only immunocompetent patients with postpartum pathology obtained within 1 year of delivery were included. Definitions based on postpartum pathology were as follows: regression as low-grade or resolved dysplasia, persistence as high-grade dysplasia, and progression as invasive cervical cancer. Results were stratified by maternal age (≤24, 25–29, 30–34, 35+) and data were analyzed using the Cochran–Armitage test. RESULTS: Among our cohort (N=286), 101 (35%) were diagnosed with CIN2, 181 (63%) with CIN3/CIS, and 4 (1%) with HSIL (not otherwise specified) on antepartum cervical biopsy. Average age was 28 (±4.2) years. Postpartum regression rate was 44% for patients aged 24 years or younger, 37% in ages 25–29, 33% in ages 30–34, and 33% in ages 35 or older ( P =.174). Persistence was common (55%, 63%, 67%, and 64%, respectively) and apparent progression to cancer was rare, occurring in 1% of patients aged 24 years or younger and in 2.8% of patients 35 or older ( P =.68). CONCLUSION: Persistence occurred in over half of patients, regardless of age. Our findings emphasize the importance of postpartum follow-up, and possible cervical excision, in patients with antepartum high-grade dysplasia.
Mulder et al. (Wed,) studied this question.