Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Early Pregnancy Loss in Leonardo Martinez Hospital. Honduras

Abstract

Introduction: Early pregnancy loss, conceptualized as the spontaneous termination of pregnancy before 12 weeks, represents a frequent cause of gynecological-obstetric morbidity, with significant clinical, psychological, and social repercussions. In settings where obstacles to accessing health services are present, epidemiological characterization becomes essential for optimizing service provision. Objective: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of women hospitalized for early pregnancy loss at the Leonardo Martínez Valenzuela Hospital during 2022. Methods: An observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study. One hundred medical records of patients hospitalized for pregnancy loss of less than or equal to 12 weeks were reviewed. A structured instrument was applied to collect clinical and sociodemographic data. Results: The mean age was 25 ± 6 years; 90% were homemakers, and 78% lived in a common-law relationship. 32% had completed primary school. Incomplete abortion was diagnosed in 73.5% of cases, and manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) was performed in 99% of cases. Eighty-five percent of the cases were hospitalized for less than 24 hours, and the mean waiting time between admission and procedure was 9 ± 7 hours. No complications were reported. Conclusion: Early pregnancy loss predominantly affects young women with low educational levels and no prenatal care. Timely clinical management was effective, with no complications reported. El manejo clínico oportuno fue efectivo, sin registro de complicaciones. The main diagnosis on admission was incomplete abortion, and treatment in almost all cases was MVA.