Occult abortion: not a major cause of infertility.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether occult abortion is a frequent cause of infertility.


METHODS
Prospective observational clinical study.


METHODS
Hospital based infertility clinic, serving as the only primary infertility care facility to a population of 250,000 people.


METHODS
102 subsequent infertility patients.


METHODS
Ultrasound ovulation detection, timed hCG determinations.


METHODS
Proportion of patients with serum hCG levels > 2.0 mIU/mL (> 2.0 IU/L) on days 12 or 13 after ultrasound-proven ovulation with subsequent appearance of the menstrual period before or at postovulation day 14.


RESULTS
In 18 of 102 patients increased hCG was found. All these patients became clinically pregnant (9 spontaneous abortions, 9 ongoing pregnancies). No occult abortion occurred (95% confidence interval 0-4%).


CONCLUSIONS
Occult abortion is not a frequent cause of infertility in an unselected population.
Academisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht, The Netherlands.
G
G
van Lijnschoten
J L
JL
Evers
P P
PP
Menheere
J P
JP
Geraedts
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010061:Ovulation Detection / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin