[Comments and the diagnosis of vitality of early pregnancy in threatening abortion].

In a series of 79 consecutive patients examined by sonar and assays of human chorionic gonadotrophin in the first half of pregnancy 41 ultimately aborted. On analysis of the sonar and post abortion findings it was found, that the aborted pregnancies fell into 3 clearly defined groups: blighted ova, missed abortions and hydatidiform moles. Strict diagnostic sonar criteria of abnormality were established for these groups. Assays of human chorionic gonadotrophin have shown to be useful guides. But the overlap between their normal and abnormal ranges does not permit their use as sole arbitors of which pregnancies should be terminated.