title: Hyperglycosylated human chorionic gonadotropin as an early predictor of pregnancy outcomes after in vitro fertilization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether serum hyperglycosylated human chorionic gonadotropin (hhCG) measured as early as 9 days after egg retrieval can predict ongoing pregnancies after in vitro fertilization and fresh embryo transfer (IVF-ET).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic assisted reproduction center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients undergoing IVF-ET INTERVENTION(S): Serum hhCG and hCG levels measured 9 (D9) and 16 (D16) days after egg retrieval
  
  
  METHODS
  Ongoing pregnancy beyond 9 weeks of gestation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ongoing pregnancy (62 of 112 participants) was associated with higher D9 levels of hhCG and hCG. However, hhCG was detectable in all D9 OP samples, while hCG was detectable in only 22%. A D9 hhCG level of >110 pg/mL was 96% specific for an ongoing pregnancy, yielding a positive predictive value of 94%. Compared with the D9 hCG levels, hhCG was more sensitive and had a larger area under the curve (0.87 vs. 0.67, respectively). The diagnostic test characteristics were similar between the D16 hhCG and hCG levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients undergoing assisted reproduction, a test to detect pregnancy early and predict outcomes is highly desirable, and hhCG is detectable in serum 9 days after egg retrieval IVF-ET cycles. In this early assessment, hhCG was superior to traditional hCG and highly predictive of ongoing pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: San Diego Fertility Center, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Sandy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chuan
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Homer
authors.affiliation: Pan Laboratories, Irvine, California.
authors.forename: Raj
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pandian
authors.affiliation: Utah Fertility Center, Pleasant Grove, Utah.
authors.forename: Deirdre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Conway
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Partners Medical Group, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garzo
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Partners Medical Group, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California. Electronic address: hisu@ucsd.edu.
authors.forename: H Irene
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000639:trends*; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin
keywords: Early pregnancy; hCG; hyperglycosylated hCG; in vitro fertilization