Open Accessβ‐HCG concentration in peritoneal fluid and serum in ectopic and intrauterine pregnancy
Author(s) -
Oettinger Moshe,
Odeh Marwan,
Tarazova Lidia,
Snitkovsky Tamara,
Ophir Ella
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016349509008941
Subject(s) - ectopic pregnancy , medicine , peritoneal fluid , pregnancy , obstetrics , gynecology , genetics , biology
Objective . To evaluate the significance of P‐HCG levels in peritoneal fluid and serum in the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy. Study design setting . Obstetrics and Gynecology department of a regional general hospital. Subjects . Sixty‐two women who presented with a differential diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy vs. nonviable intrauterine pregnancy. Interventions . All patients underwent D & C and culdocentesis. P‐HCG was measured in simultaneously obtained peritoneal fluid (PF) and serum (S), and the PFiS ratio calculated. Results . Twenty‐three patients had an ectopic pregnancy (Group I). All 23 had higher β‐HCG concentrations in the PF than in the serum, with a mean PFiS ratio of 19.1 ± 16.9. Twenty‐four patients had an intrauterine pregnancy (Group II). The β‐HCG levels in the PF and serum were similar (mean PF/S 1.1 ±0.2). The difference in PFiS ratio between groups I and II was statistically significant ( p <0.001). Conclusion . The measurement of P‐HCG in peritoneal fluid and serum is a useful diagnostic tool in differentiating ectopic from intrauterine pregnancy.