title: Abnormal pregnancy: early diagnosis by US and serum chorionic gonadotropin levels.
abstract: Simultaneous sonography and quantitative serum human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) levels from 126 women with threatened abortion were compared. Of 56 women with normal outcome, 39 (70%) had a gestation sac greater than or equal to 5 mm in mean sac diameter, and in each case the HCG level was 1,800 milli-international units (mIU/ml) or greater. The serum HCG levels strongly correlated with the gestation sac sizes to a mean sac diameter of 25 mm. Of 70 abnormal pregnancies, 31 demonstrated a gestation sac. Of these, 20 women (65%) had disproportionately low HCG levels relative to sac size, including 12 in whom the HCG level was less than 1,800 mIU/ml. One woman with an early molar pregnancy had a disproportionately elevated HCG level. Correlation of sonograms with a simultaneous measurement of serum HCG level is a useful method for evaluating threatened spontaneous abortion. A disproportionately low HCG level relative to gestation sac size is evidence for an abnormal pregnancy.
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology; D000650:Amnion / Q000473:pathology; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin