Hysterosalpingography and selective salpingography in the differential diagnosis of chemical intrauterine versus tubal pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the validity of hystersalpingography (HSG) and/or bilateral selective salpingography in the differential diagnosis of early (biochemical) intrauterine versus intratubal abortions.


METHODS
The study design involved the performance of HSG and selective salpingography in sequential patients with low declining beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) values.


METHODS
Medical School-affiliated Infertility Center.


METHODS
Four sequential pregnant infertility patients who demonstrated declining beta-hCG levels before pregnancy could be confirmed by ultrasound (chemical pregnancies).


RESULTS
Three of four patients demonstrated a characteristic tubal opacification pattern in conjunction with a normally appearing endometrial cavity, considered diagnostic of an early tubal pregnancy. In contrast, a missed intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) demonstrated a characteristically abnormal endometrial cavity.


CONCLUSIONS
Some early (chemical) pregnancy losses are intratubal rather than intrauterine. The correct differential diagnosis of early missed IUPs versus intratubal pregnancies is important because of its prognostic significance.
Gleicher
N
N
Center for Human Reproduction, Chicago, Illinois 60610.
Parrilli
M
M
Pratt
D E
DE
D000328:Adult; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007047:Hysterosalpingography; D011247:Pregnancy; D011274:Pregnancy, Tubal / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011374:Progesterone