Does ICSI affect early serum beta-HCG in pregnancies achieved after IVF?

This study was conducted to compare early serum human chorionic gonadotroph in (HCG) concentrations in singleton pregnancies achieved after intracytopl asmic sperm injection (ICSI), with those achieved after conventional in-vit ro fertilization (IVF), Early serum HCG, 14-16 days after embryo transfer, was analysed in 99 IVF pregnancies achieved after ICSI (group A), and compa red to 105 conventional NF pregnancies (group B), All women were treated at the IVF Unit, Lis Maternity Hospital, Records were studied retrospectively . The mean +/- SE serum HCG concentration on day 14 after embryo transfer i n group A was 190.5 +/- 17.4 mIU/ml, compared to 195.7 +/- 14.03 mIU/ml in group B, HCG concentration 14 days after embryo transfer in both groups A a nd B was higher in women with mechanical factor than in couples with male f actor infertility or unexplained infertility (246 +/- 31.4, 183.3 +/- 16.4, 177.98 +/- 14.3 mIU/ml respectively). On the 16th day after embryo transfe r, the HCG concentration increased, and the difference between the groups w as maintained. Only in the subgroup of unexplained infertility did we find a difference in concentrations of HCG between ICSI and conventional IVF: on the 16th day following embryo transfer in this group there was a significa nt difference in HCG concentrations (395.8 +/- 21 and 545.6 +/- 45.7 respec tively; P = 0.04), HCG concentrations did not differ overall in the convent ional IVF pregnancies compared with those achieved by ICSI, However, a stat istical difference in early serum HCG concentrations,vas found in relation to the aetiology of infertility.