Fetal growth in patients with elevated maternal serum hCG levels.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between maternal serum hCG levels and small for gestational age (SGA) infants.


METHODS
Maternal serum hCG levels were measured in 638 consecutive pregnant women in whom gestation was dated by crown-rump length and who later delivered a singleton infant. Fetal growth was compared between the women with elevated maternal hCG (above 2 multiples of the median) and those with normal levels.


RESULTS
Elevated maternal hCG values were found in 6.6%, of whom 19% delivered SGA infants. In the normal maternal hCG group, 3.9% of the infants were SGA. These differences were statistically significant by chi 2 analysis. Mothers with elevated hCG also had a significantly higher risk for fetal death, preterm rupture of the membranes, and abruptio placentae by the Fisher exact probability test.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated maternal serum hCG levels correlate with SGA infants.
Tanaka
M
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Natori
M
M
Kohno
H
H
Ishimoto
H
H
Kobayashi
T
T
Nozawa
S
S
D000328:Adult; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012372:ROC Curve; D012307:Risk Factors
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin