[Tubal pregnancies: early pregnancy factor, progesterone, beta-HCG and vaginal sonography as differential diagnostic...

By anamnestic, clinical, biochemical (beta-HCG), and ultrasonographical data, only a portion of ectopic pregnancies can be diagnosed early enough to allow conservative surgery. In the present study, the diagnostic value of the Early Pregnancy Factor (EPF), progesterone, and endosonography was investigated in 142 patients with suspected tubal pregnancy. beta-HCG and Progesterone serum levels had been in the lover range of or below normal values in most cases of tubal pregnancy compared to intrauterine pregnancies. The EPF was found to be negative in 94% of all cases of ectopic or disturbed intrauterine pregnancies, while all these patients showed a positive pregnancy test (HCG). By abdominal ultrasonography, only 73.7% of all tubal pregnancies could be detected, while transvaginal scanning increased the rate of verified diagnoses up to 90.6% of these cases. Our results suggest that EPF measurement and endosonography are valuable supplements for precise and rapid diagnosis of ectopic pregnancies.