[Maternal CA 125 serum level in intrauterine pregnancy and abortion in the first trimester].

OBJECTIVE

Maternal CA 125 levels are supposed to rise in pregnancies complicated by vaginal bleedings in dependence to the extent of decidual disruption which is directly related to the outcome of pregnancy.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

The prognostic value of maternal CA 125 serum measurement was investigated in 239 women with a first trimester intact pregnancy, imminent, incomplete, complete or missed abortion.

RESULTS

43.9% of the CA 125 serum levels were without normal range (> 20 U/ml). Mean CA 125 serum levels were higher in patients with incomplete (52.4 +/- 67.4 U/ml), complete (34.3 +/- 46.1 U/ml), and imminent abortion (33.0 +/- 45.8 U/ml) as compared with normal pregnancies (28.9 +/- 28.8 U/ml) and missed abortion (23.5 +/- 21.5 U/ml). CA 125 levels in first trimester pregnancies tended to be higher in patients with vaginal bleedings than in patients without bleeding (40.5 U/ml +/- 55.0 vs. 28.9 U/ml +/- 28.8; p = 0.65).

CONCLUSIONS

For clinical use CA 125 serum measurement is not relevant. First trimester CA 125 measurement can not serve as an accurate predictor of pregnancy outcome due to the wide overlap of ranges.