Abstract
Objective
To assess the value of serial hCG and progesterone serum level in the diagnosis of
early pregnancy viability.
Methods
It was a prospective cohort study. Women with a pregnancy of uncertain viability (PUV),
defined as the presence of an intra-uterine embryo with a crown-rump length <7 mm with no cardiac activity or an intra-uterine gestational sac size <25 mm with no visible embryonic structure in a transvaginal ultrasound scan (TVS) were
eligible. The diagnosis value of serial plasmatic hCG levels on the first day and
48 h after as well as the initial progesterone level were evaluated to diagnose pregnancy
viability. Pregnancy viability was assessed by TVS 7 to 14 days after inclusion.
Results
The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive
value (NPV) of an hCG H48/H0 ratio increase <11% to diagnose an early pregnancy loss
were 70.6%, 100%, 100% and 85.3%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV
and NPV of a 6.2 ng/ml progesterone level to diagnose an early pregnancy loss were 20%, 100%, 100%
and 65.2%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of an hCG H48/H0
ratio increase >75% to diagnose a viable pregnancy were 100%, 31%, 45.9% and 100%,
respectively. hCG H48/H0 ratio increase <11% was associated with early pregnancy loss
in 100% of the cases. hCG H48/H0 ratio increase >75% was associated with 100% of viable
pregnancies in 100% of the cases.
Conclusion
Serial hCG levels alone permitted an early viability diagnosis within 48 h for 41.1% of patients with PUV instead of 7 to 14 days with TVS.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 27, 2017
Accepted:
November 26,
2017
Received in revised form:
November 21,
2017
Received:
September 7,
2017
Identification
Copyright
© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
