Vasa previa guidelines and their supporting evidence

Introduction: Vasa previa (VP) is a serious pregnancy complication in which fetal vessels, unprotected by the umbilical cord, run across or within close proximity to the internal cervical os, which can potentially result in fetal exsanguination in the event of membrane rupture. There is global consensus that women with antenatally diagnosed VP should have caesarean delivery prior to onset of labour to prevent the catastrophic complications of VP. However, there is variability in the approach to management of these women antenatally, particularly regarding hospitalisation and timing of steroid administration and delivery.

Content: In this review, we aim to compare the VP guidelines of four prominent obstetric advisory bodies: The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG), The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) and The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) with a particular focus on antenatal hospitalisation, administration of steroids, and timing of birth in asymptomatic patients. We also aim to evaluate the evidence cited to support their recommendations.

Summary: Current guidelines are based on low-quality evidence that often does not include insights from recent studies and are vague in their recommendations for antenatal hospitalisation and timing of delivery.

Outlook: More robust evidence for management of VP is needed to inform future guidelines.