Determining the time required to achieve negative human chorionic gonadotropin value after a nonmolar pregnancy: preliminary results.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the time of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) regression in nonmolar gestation.

STUDY

DESIGN

Patients treated at our institution between June 2012 and July 2013 were selected by a deterministic sequential sampling distributed among 2 phases. Distribution of the patients included resolved cases by vaginal delivery and cesarean section in preterm and term pregnancies, ectopic, and abortion. Phase 1: serum hCG values were determined at 4, 5 and 6 weeks of obstetric resolution. Phase 2: hCG serum values were determined immediately at obstetric resolution and at 2, 3 and 4 weeks of the resolution of the cases, too.

RESULTS

Phase 1: After the analysis of serum hCG of 63 patients at 4, 5 and 6 weeks postresolution, a negative result was corroborated in 100% of cases, in any period of the sample, with average values of 1.71, 0.55, and 0.18 mIU/mL, respectively. Phase 2 included 398 patients, with serum hCG in the first 72 hours postresolution, showing an average hCG value of 1,483.5 mIU/mL (range, 0.07-10,789), noting that 1% of cases had negative results. We then obtained hCG values at 2, 3 and 4 weeks of resolution, showing the regression in 73.4% of cases in the 2nd week, in 96.7% of patients in the 3rd week, and in all cases in the 4th week.

CONCLUSION

The regression of hCG after nonmolar pregnancy does not exceed 3 weeks.