ASSOCIATION BETWEEN QUANTITATIVE βHCG AND PREECLAMPSIA

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
Preeclampsia is one of the most common complications of pregnancy with the trophoblast
implicated in its onset. Since human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is secreted by trophoblast, I
hypothesized that there is an association between human chorionic gonadotrophin and its onset.
The purpose of the study was to determine if there is an ssociation between β hCG and
preeclampsia.

METHODS:
This was a case control study of 50 pregnant women with preeclampsia (case group) and 50
normal pregnant cases (control group) marched for age, parity and gestational age in the
Department of Obstetric and Gynaecology, Lagos University Teaching Hospital Idi Araba
Lagos. Serum beta-hCG in all cases were measured by radioimmunoassay. The mean βhCG
level in preeclampsia (mild and severe) was compared with normal cases using P value set at
0.05.
RESULT:
The mean age of the preeclamptic is 28.98±5.262 and that of the normotensives is 31.26
±4.332. There is no statistical significance between the gestational age and the parity of both the
normotensives and the preeclamptics . While the mean diastolic blood pressure is
105.46±13.616 and 69.40±6.824 respectively for the preeclamptics and normotensive, the mean
systolic blood pressure 168.80±25.615 and 111.20±10.029 . 60% of the preeclamptics are
unbooked and 48% are nullipara. Mean serum βhCG in the normotensive 47.63mlIU while in
the preeclamptic 53.37mlIU (P= 0.322) (95% CI (-0.04- 0.011) . the mean serum βhCG mild
preeclamptics is 16.00 while the severe preeclamptics is 25.90 (P=.0.346) (95% CI, -0.005
0.012)
CONCLUSION:
The association between serum β hCG and preeclampsia is not statistically significant. However
a large longitudinal cohort study is necessary to be able to look at the association of preeclampsia
and first and second trimester serum β hCG.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN QUANTITATIVE βHCG AND PREECLAMPSIA