Objective: To assess whether the incidence and aggressiveness of molar pregnancy (MP) and postmolar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design: Observational study with two separate designs: retrospective multicentre cohort of patients with MP/postmolar GTN and a cross-sectional analysis, with application of a questionnaire.
Setting: Six Brazilian Reference Centres on gestational trophoblastic disease.
Population: 2662 patients with MP/postmolar GTN treated from March-December/2015-2020 were retrospectively evaluated and 528 of these patients answered a questionnaire.
Methods: Longitudinal retrospective multicentre study of patients diagnosed with MP/ postmolar GTN at presentation and a cross-sectional analysis, with application of a questionnaire, exclusive to patients treated during the period of study, to assess living and health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with previous years.
Main outcome measures: The incidence of MP/postmolar GTN.
Results: Compared with the last 5 pre-pandemic years, MP/postmolar GTN incidence remained stable during 2020 (COVID-19 pandemic). Multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for the patient age, showed that during 2020, presentation with MP was more likely to be >10 weeks of gestation (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.90-3.29, P < 0.001), have a pre-evacuation hCG level ≥100 000 iu/l (aOR 1.77, 95% CI 1.38-2.28, P < 0.001) and time to the initiation of chemotherapy ≥7 months (aOR 1.86, 95% CI 1.01-3.43, P = 0.047) when compared with 2015-2019.
Conclusions: Although the incidence of MP/postmolar GTN remained stable during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, the pandemic was associated with greater gestational age at MP diagnosis and more protracted delays in initiation of chemotherapy for postmolar GTN.
Keywords: COVID-19; gestational trophoblastic disease; gestational trophoblastic neoplasia; hydatidiform mole.
© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.