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Unexplained elevated maternal serum β-HCG concentration and adverse pregnancy outcome.
- Source :
- Prenatal Diagnosis; Nov2007, Vol. 27 Issue 11, p995-999, 5p
- Publication Year :
- 2007
-
Abstract
- Objective To investigate the association between unexplained elevated maternal serum β-Human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) in the second trimester of pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcome. Methods In a case-controlled study of 3463 women who opted for second-trimester serum screening for Down syndrome, 142 were found to have a serum β-HCG of ≥3.5 multiples of the median (MoM), 56 of whom had a serum β-HCG of ≥5.0 MoM. These women were compared with a control group of women with serum β-HCG within the 95% confidence interval around the median. Results In the elevated β-HCG group (≥5 MoM) significantly more babies required admission to the special care baby unit ( p = 0.02) and were small for gestational age (SGA) ( p = 0.03). The mean birth weight was also significantly lower in the group with elevated β-HCG. Women with a serum β-HCG of ≥5, ≥6, ≥7 or ≥8 MoM were associated with SGA babies in 40, 44, 64 and 86% respectively. All babies born to the six women with β-HCG of 8.75-24.1 MoM were SGA. Conclusion Increased surveillance is necessary in pregnancies where the maternal serum β-HCG in the second trimester is inexplicably elevated to ≥5 MoM. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 01973851
- Volume :
- 27
- Issue :
- 11
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Prenatal Diagnosis
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 63403539
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1002/pd.1813