Biomaterial Database

Human chorionic gonadotropin and free beta subunit secretion in three events of pregnancy. 1991

G S Letterie, and D L Hay

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Serum hCG and free beta hCG subunit were measured in intrauterine pregnancies (n = 21), ectopic pregnancies (n = 20) and spontaneous abortions (n = 19) matched for gestational age. Significantly higher concentrations of both dimer and free beta subunit hCG were detected in normal pregnancies (86,336 IU/L) and 21.02 IU/L respectively) compared to abortions (10,460 IU/L and 3.73 IU/L) and ectopic pregnancies (3,900 IU/L and 3.73 IU/L) (p less than .05). When the ratio of free beta hCG/intact hCG (%) was studied, however, EP had significantly higher ratios (0.09 +/- 0.09) than IUP (p less than .05). Assessment of the relative distributions of these ratios revealed that 100% of IUP and AB and 65% of EP had ratios less than 0.10. Most notably, 35% of EP were uniquely characterized by ratios greater than 0.10. This ratio was sufficiently higher in 35% of EP to define a profile completely unique to EP. These data suggest that an increased free beta to dimer hCG ratio of greater than 0.10 may assist in the differentiation of ectopic from intrauterine pregnancies of spontaneous abortions and provide insight into a possible trophoblastic mechanics in these clinical events.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011271	Pregnancy, Ectopic	A potentially life-threatening condition in which EMBRYO IMPLANTATION occurs outside the cavity of the UTERUS. Most ectopic pregnancies (>96%) occur in the FALLOPIAN TUBES, known as TUBAL PREGNANCY. They can be in other locations, such as UTERINE CERVIX; OVARY; and abdominal cavity (PREGNANCY, ABDOMINAL).	Ectopic Pregnancy,Pregnancy, Extrauterine,Ectopic Pregnancies,Extrauterine Pregnancies,Extrauterine Pregnancy,Pregnancies, Ectopic,Pregnancies, Extrauterine
D003937	Diagnosis, Differential	Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures.	Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D005260	Female		Females
D006063	Chorionic Gonadotropin	A gonadotropic glycoprotein hormone produced primarily by the PLACENTA. Similar to the pituitary LUTEINIZING HORMONE in structure and function, chorionic gonadotropin is involved in maintaining the CORPUS LUTEUM during pregnancy. CG consists of two noncovalently linked subunits, alpha and beta. Within a species, the alpha subunit is virtually identical to the alpha subunits of the three pituitary glycoprotein hormones (TSH, LH, and FSH), but the beta subunit is unique and confers its biological specificity (CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN, BETA SUBUNIT, HUMAN).	Chorionic Gonadotropin, Human,HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin),Biogonadil,Choriogonadotropin,Choriogonin,Chorulon,Gonabion,Human Chorionic Gonadotropin,Pregnyl,Gonadotropin, Chorionic,Gonadotropin, Human Chorionic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000033	Abortion, Threatened	UTERINE BLEEDING from a GESTATION of less than 20 weeks without any CERVICAL DILATATION. It is characterized by vaginal bleeding, lower back discomfort, or midline pelvic cramping and a risk factor for MISCARRIAGE.	Threatened Miscarriage,Miscarriage, Threatened,Threatened Abortion,Threatened Abortions,Threatened Miscarriages
D014327	Trophoblasts	Cells lining the outside of the BLASTOCYST. After binding to the ENDOMETRIUM, trophoblasts develop into two distinct layers, an inner layer of mononuclear cytotrophoblasts and an outer layer of continuous multinuclear cytoplasm, the syncytiotrophoblasts, which form the early fetal-maternal interface (PLACENTA).	Cytotrophoblasts,Syncytiotrophoblasts,Trophoblast,Cytotrophoblast,Syncytiotrophoblast