Prediction of placenta previa from serial reading of serum HCG Late in first half of pregnancy

Abstract

Introduction- An abnormally positioned placenta is a significant and potentially lifethreatening problem for pregnant women. There is ongoing discussion over the early detection and treatment methods to reduce the risk of death and complications. The present study was done to evaluate the role of beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin (B-HCG) level in the first half of pregnancy as a marker for prediction of placenta previa.
Material and methods- The present prospective study was conducted among 60 pregnant women who reported to department of obstetrics and gynecology at a tertiary care center during the study period of one year. The study involved sampling all participating mothers between 14 and 18 weeks of gestational age. The results were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0.
Results– Out of total 60 women 15 (4%) had condition of placenta previa. The Mean age of patients was 33.45 years , gravid was 4.2 , parity was 2.9 and serum hCG was 90,981 IU. Mean serum HCG >104679 iu at 14 weeks of gestation is the ideal cutoff value. The sensitivity and specificity were determined to be 100% and 73.3%, respectively.
Conclusion- The measurement of B-HCG levels throughout the first half of pregnancy can serve as an indicator for predicting the occurrence of placenta previa