BETA HCG LEVELS AFTER CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT OF ECTOPIC PREGNANCY - IS A PLATEAU NORMAL

In 32 women with unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies we undertook con servative laparoscopic treatment [local injection of 20 mg methotrexat e (n = 18), laser salpingotomy (n = 14)]. The results of serial quanti tative beta HCG measurement were followed until either a negative leve l was reached or until rising levels necessitated alternative/addition al therapy. Plateaued values of beta HCG were observed in both the suc cessful (n = 16) and the unsuccessful cases (n = 5). To test the hypot hesis that daily variation in the assay could account for some or all of the observed plateaued results in successful cases, the sera were r etested serially on the same 'run. In only one case did laboratory var iation account for the observed plateau. The clinical implications of the findings are discussed. We conclude that serially monitored beta H CG results after conservative treatment of ectopic pregnancy may show plateaued values without indicating failure of treatment.