title: The ratio of cervical fluid and serum human chorionic gonadotropin as a predictor of abortion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Progressions in science and technology have generated several methods for delaying preterm delivery and abortion; therefore, discovering an easy, non-invasive, practical, and non-expensive predictive factor can help us to perform preventive methods in healthy pregnant women, without any risk factors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To indicate an appropriate index for predicting abortion in early pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective study, 73 pregnant women who had a singleton pregnancy, had no complications or history of abortion or disease, and were referred to Mahdieh and Taleghani Hospitals between 2007-2009, were evaluated. Blood and cervical fluid samples were obtained thrice from all patients: at the first visit, after 1 week, and 1-2 weeks later. They were followed up until the 12(th) week of gestation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using the receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, 1.62 was obtained as the cut-off point for the cervical fluid: serum human chorionic gonadotropin concentration ratio; 14 patients (19.2%) experienced abortion, and 12 women (70.6%) had a ratio ≥1.62. Of the pregnant women with a ratio of <1.62, 3.6% had an abortion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregnant women who do not show any signs of abortion and have a high cervical fluid: serum HCG concentration ratio are at risk of abortion; therefore, the cut-off point might be an appropriate index for predicting abortion in early pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (IRHRC), Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahrzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zadehmodares
authors.affiliation: Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nafiseh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Baheiraei
authors.affiliation: Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (IRHRC), Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Afsar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharafi
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Reasearch Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hedayati
authors.affiliation: Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (IRHRC), Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mansoureh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mousavi
keywords: Abortion; Cervical fluid; Cervical human chorionic gonadotropin; Prediction of abortion; Serum human chorionic gonadotropin