Adverse perinatal outcomes of chronic intervillositis of unknown etiology: an observational retrospective study of 122 cases

Our study aimed to assess perinatal outcomes and recurrence rate of Chronic Intervillositis of Unknown Etiology (CIUE). We conducted an observational retrospective study in a tertiary care university hospital in France from January 1, 1997 to July 31, 2018. 122 pregnancies (102 women) with CIUE were included. Cases of the Department of Histopathology placenta database were re-analysed independently by three pathologists specializing in fetal pathology. Diagnosis of CIUE was confirmed according to: (1) the presence of cellular infiltrate in the intervillous space, (2) ~ 80% of the mononuclear cells in the intervillous space positive for CD68, (3) infiltration occupying at least 5% of the intervillous space, and (4) no clinical or histopathological sign of infection. Outcomes of pregnancies with CIUE (miscarriages, stillbirths, terminations of pregnancy, live birth with or without prematurity or fetal growth restriction) and proportion of CIUE recurrence were analysed. The lost pregnancies comprised 17 (13.9%) miscarriages, 17 (13.9%) stillbirths, and 18 (14.8%) terminations of pregnancy. Of the 70 (57.4%) pregnancies that led to a live birth, 38 (54.3%) new-borns were premature and 50 (72.5%) exhibited fetal growth restriction. Among the 102 women, 23 subsequently became pregnant, half of whom (n = 11) developed recurrent CIUE. CIUE was associated with high rates of adverse perinatal outcomes, including pregnancy loss, fetal growth restriction, and preterm birth with a risk of recurrence nearly 50%.