This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by BARNEA, E. R. Articles by DECHERNEY, A. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by BARNEA, E. R. Articles by DECHERNEY, A. H. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Hazardous Substances DB CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN ESTRADIOL PROGESTERONE Medline Plus Health Information High Risk Pregnancy

Progesterone, Estradiol, and -Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Secretion in Patients with Ectopic Pregnancy

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Michael Reese Hospital Chicago, Illinois 60616
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecobgy, Yale University School of Medicine New Haven, Connecticut 06510

Address requests for reprints to: Dr. Eytan Barnea, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale University, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.

Plasma free hCG, estradiol(E₂), and progesterone (P₄) concentrations were measured in 38 patients with histologically confirmed ectopic pregnancy (EP). The menstrual gestational ages ranged from 6–10 weeks. Free hCG levels, although significantly lower than those in women with a normal intrauterine pregnancy, increased markedly during this time period, from 1.5 to 11 ng/ml, a 7-fold increase. In women with an intrauterine pregnancy, only 0.6-fold increase occurred during the same time period. Plasma P₄ and E₂ concentrations in patients with EP were significantly lower, except at 6 weeks for E₂ and in the sixth and seventh weeks for P₄.

The ectopically implanted trophoblast undergoes impairment of its ability to synthesize /βhCG, but not hCG. The lack of utilization of hCG in EP causes it to increase, while the level of intact hCG is low. These observations suggest that the levels of ahCG are a sensitive marker for placental well-being, and that it could serve as an additional diagnostic tool for the early diagnosis of EP. The placenta is only partially able to compensate for the reduced ovarian production of E₂ and P₄.

Received June 4, 1985.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Shao, M. Nutu, L. Karlsson-Lindahl, A. Benrick, B. Weijdegard, S. Lager, E. Egecioglu, J. Fernandez-Rodriguez, K. Gemzell-Danielsson, C. Ohlsson, et al. Downregulation of cilia-localized Il-6R{alpha} by 17{beta}-estradiol in mouse and human fallopian tubes Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, July 1, 2009; 297(1): C140 - C151. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Shao, B. Weijdegard, J. Fernandez-Rodriguez, E. Egecioglu, C. Zhu, N. Andersson, A. Thurin-Kjellberg, C. Bergh, and H. Billig Ciliated epithelial-specific and regional-specific expression and regulation of the estrogen receptor-beta2 in the fallopian tubes of immature rats: a possible mechanism for estrogen-mediated transport process in vivo Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, July 1, 2007; 293(1): E147 - E158. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. T.A. Borrelli, S. A. Butler, S. M. Docherty, E. M. Staite, A. L. Borrelli, and R. K. Iles Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Isoforms in the Diagnosis of Ectopic Pregnancy Clin. Chem., December 1, 2003; 49(12): 2045 - 2049. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]