Association of First Trimester Nuchal Septations With Abnormal Pregnancy Outcomes

Abstract

This retrospective study included 311 patients who had increased nuchal translucency (NT ≥3 mm) or nuchal septations (NSs) during the first trimester from January 2018 to December 2020. These patients were divided into 3 groups: (1) patients with NT thickness between 3 and 5 mm and without NS (NT 3–5 mm group, n = 131), (2) patients with NT thickness >5 mm and without NS (NT >5 mm group, n = 105), and (3) patients with NS (NS group, n = 75). The incidence of abnormal pregnancy outcomes was 92.0% in the NS group, which was significantly higher (both P's < 0.01) compared with that in the NT 3–5 mm group (57.3%) and NT >5 mm group (75.2%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis illustrated that the sonographic evidence of NS was associated with a higher risk of abnormal pregnancy outcomes compared with NT 3–5 mm (odds ratio [OR] = 8.552; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.411–21.441; P < 0.01) and NT >5 mm (odds ratio [OR] = 3.636; 95% CI: 1.391–9.524; P < 0.01). After NT measurement entered the multivariate logistic regression as a continuous confounder, patients with NS were still associated with a higher risk of composite abnormal outcomes compared with those without NS (odds ratio [OR] = 4.820; 95% CI: 1.877–12.380; P < 0.01). In conclusion, the presence of NS during the first trimester was significantly associated with a high risk of abnormal pregnancy outcomes.