title: Circulating levels of placental protein 14 in ectopic pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine circulating levels of placental protein 14 (PP14) in complications of early pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biochemical monitoring of women presenting with vaginal bleeding and/or abdominal pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  An emergency gynaecological ultrasound clinic in a London teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Venous blood samples were obtained from 67 women with normal pregnancy (n = 9), ectopic pregnancy (n = 26) and failed intrauterine pregnancy (n = 32). This group included anembryonic pregnancy (n = 18), missed miscarriage (n = 2), spontaneous miscarriage of a previously demonstrated live fetus (n = 6), incomplete miscarriage (n = 4), complete miscarriage (n = 1) and molar pregnancy (n = 1).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum PP14 levels in the group of women with a failed intrauterine pregnancy in relation to the normal range for PP14.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-one percent of women who miscarried spontaneously had normal serum PP14 levels; 81% of women with ectopic pregnancy had depressed (< 5th centile) serum PP14 levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measurements of PP14 may be useful in distinguishing spontaneous miscarriage from ectopic pregnancy, but not in the management of threatened miscarriage.
authors.affiliation: Joint Academic Unit of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Physiology, Royal London Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stabile
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Olajide
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chard
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Grudzinskas
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D000071816:Glycodelin; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000071816:Glycodelin; D006023:Glycoproteins; C045246:PAEP protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins