Women with Elevated Second Trimester Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Level Are at Increased Risk for Preeclampsia

Authors: Aysel KABUKÇU, S. Lütfü ÖNDEROĞLU, Yahya LALELİ, Tekin DURUKAN

Abstract: Objective: Our purpose was to determine whether unexplained elevations in maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)in the second trimester is associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia. Methods: Between April 1992 to April 1995, 610 pregnant women undergoing second trimester triple marker screening for Down's syndrome who were delivered at our institution were included to the study. 81 women with an hCG level greater than 2.0 multiples of median (MOM) served as the study group and 481 women with hCG levels <2.0 MOM served as controls. Pregnancies with fetal chromosomal and structural anomalies and maternal serum alpha-fetprotein level greater than 2.0 MOM were excluded from the study. Statistical analyses were perfomed using Student's t test. Whenever sta-tistical significance was detected, odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were also calculated. Results: Women with elevated hCG levels were at increased risk for preeclampsia (Odds ratio 5.93, 95% confidence interval 1.97 to 15.88). Conclusion: Pregnancies with unexplained elevated hCG levels should be regarded as having a higher risk of preeclampsia.

Keywords: Human chorionic gonadotropin, second trimester, Preeclampsia.

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