DIAGNOSIS OF ECTOPIC PREGNANCY - VALUE OF THE DISCRIMINATORY HUMAN CHORIONIC-GONADOTROPIN ZONE

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  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 66  (3) , 357-360
Abstract
A prospective study was conducted to test the hypothesis that the absence of an intrauterine gestational sac when the serum level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is above 6500 mIU/ml is indicative of ectopic pregnancy. A total of 383 patients who were clinically suspected to have ectopic pregnancies had pelvic ultrasound examinations with serum hCG determinations on the day of the scan. There were 217 (57%) intrauterine gestations, 104 (27%) ectopic pregnancies and 62 (16%) spontaneous abortions. Forty-one percent of patients had an hCG level above 6500 mIU/ml. The absence of an intrauterine gestational sac at an hCG concentration above this level had a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 96%, a positive predictive value of 86%, a negative predictive value of 100% and was 98% efficient, based on a 19.4% prevalence of ectopic pregnancies among this group.