title: Predictive value of early human chorionic gonadotrophin serum profiles for fetal growth retardation.
abstract: The possibility of using first trimester maternal serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) profiles to predict fetal growth retardation (FGR) was tested in 236 women with singleton pregnancies obtained after in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Pregnancies were monitored by serial analysis (two or more) of serum HCG at at least 48 h intervals. Serum was obtained between the 13th and the 35th day after conception (i.e. on the day of IVF). Early miscarriage occurred in 23.7% and FGR in 10.9% of pregnancies. Serum HCG profiles were higher than the 90th and lower than the 10th percentile in 12.3% and 19.5% of the cases respectively. FGR was significantly more frequent in women with serum HCG profiles lower than the 10th percentile than in women with normal profiles (45.5% versus 7.2%; P < 0.001), with a relative risk of 6.5 (95% confidence interval 2.7-15.6). FGR rates were similar in women with normal and high profiles of serum HCG. Pre-eclampsia and premature delivery rates were similar in women with normal and abnormal profiles of serum HCG. First trimester serum HCG should be further investigated as a potential marker of FGR.
authors.affiliation: Service de Gynécologie-Obstétrique, CHI Créteil, 40 avenue de Verdun, 94010 Créteil and Clinique Universitaire Baudelocque, Hôpital Cochin, 123 BD de Port-Royal, 75014 Paris, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abirached
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Louis-Sylvestre
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Le Blond
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Paniel
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Zorn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000097:blood; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin