SERUM PROGESTERONE AND HUMAN CHORIONIC-GONADOTROPIN MEASUREMENTS IN THE EVALUATION OF ECTOPIC PREGNANCY

We evaluated the clinical usefulness of measuring the serum concentrat ions of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) and progesterone to distin guish between early viable and nonviable pregnancies. We investigated 110 women with clinical symptoms of abnormal pregnancy. A single HCG m easurement did not clearly distinguish between ectopic and failing int rauterine pregnancies; an HCG value below 3,000 IU/L, together with a serum progesterone below 40 nmol/L, predicted abnormal pregnancy outco me in 97% of women (positive predictive value: 91%; negative predictiv e value: 95%). Serum HCG values above 3,000 IU/L or progesterones abov e 40 nmol/L, discriminated between an ongoing pregnancy and an abnorma l pregnancy in 87% women (positive predictive value: 95%; negative pre dictive value: 91%) and provided reassurance of an ongoing pregnancy. Our results suggest that a combination of serum progesterone and HCG m easurements provide clinically useful biochemical information which en hances the prediction of pregnancy outcome.