Elevated second-trimester human chorionic gonadotropin levels in association with poor pregnancy outcome.

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose was to determine whether abnormal pregnancy outcome is associated with elevated maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin levels.

STUDY

DESIGN

Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin levels were measured in stored second-trimester serum obtained before scheduled genetic amniocentesis from 126 women with poor pregnancy outcomes, excluding aneuploidy and structural abnormalities (complications group), and 126 matched women with normal outcomes (control group).

RESULTS

More women with complications had elevated human chorionic gonadotropin levels (> or = 2.0 multiples of the median) (14%) than did control women (3%) (p = 0.01). Both elevated human chorionic gonadotropin and maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were significantly associated with preterm delivery and fetal death. Elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein was significantly associated with early postamniocentesis complications and fetal growth restriction, whereas elevated human chorionic gonadotropin was associated with preeclampsia.

CONCLUSION

Elevated human chorionic gonadotropin, similar to unexplained elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein, is significantly associated with abnormal pregnancy outcomes.