The value of biochemical and ultrasound measurements in predicting pregnancy outcome in women with a history of recurrent miscarriage

Abstract

In this study, the potential prognostic value of serial ultrasonographic, endocrinological and biochemical measurements in the early pregnancy of women with a history of unexplained recurrent miscarriage was examined. A total of 113 pregnancies among 93 women were studied, of which 77 (68%) resulted in live birth, whereas 36 (32%) ended in a miscarriage. The normal range (5-95th centile) of various measurements was derived from pregnancies which resulted in a live birth. Among the 36 failed pregnancies, 42% had one or more human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) measurements, 35% had one or more gestation-sac diameter measurements, 33% had one or more embryonic heart rate measurements, 20% had one or more crown-rump length measurements and 9% had one or more placental protein 14 measurements below the normal range, a week or more prior to the confirmation of miscarriage. Altogether, 22/36 = 61% of the failed pregnancies could have been predicted on the basis of one or more of the measurements below the normal range.