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Updated: Dec 26, 2025
A Novel Use of Three-dimensional High-frequency Ultrasonography for Early Pregnancy Characterization in the Mouse
Published on: October 24, 2017
Serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin profile and its correlations with ultrasound parameters in
Ni-Chin Tsai1, Ling-Yun Cheng2, Tsai-Hwa Yang1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Aim:
Cervical pregnancy (CP) and cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP), defined as low-lying-implantation ectopic pregnancy (LLIEP), are rare conditions of aberrant implantation around the lowest portion of the uterus. This study aimed to illustrate the serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) profile of LLIEP and to explore its implications with the clinical characteristics.
Methods:
Women with LLIEP during the first trimester were retrospectively evaluated at a tertiary referral center from August 1999 to July 2016. Demographic and clinical data were recorded, including maternal age, gestational age (GA), serum β-hCG level, maximal diameter of the gestational mass/sac (MDM/MDS) by ultrasonography and CSP implantation types. The serum β-hCG level was measured on the day of ultrasound imaging. The significance of pretreatment the serum β-hCG level and its correlations with the clinical characteristics were analyzed.
Results:
A total of 88 LLIEP with 64 CSP and 24 CP was included. The mean GA at the time of diagnosis was 7 weeks (range, 5-12 weeks). The β-hCG concentrations rapidly increased from GA 5 to 9 weeks and fluctuated thereafter. The β-hCG levels correlated positively with GA and ultrasound MDM/MDS. In the CSP group, there was no difference in the β-hCG level between superficial and deep implantation types. β-hCG levels demonstrated no significant differences among simple and complicated LLIEP.
Conclusion:
This study established the serum β-hCG profile in LLIEP in the first trimester. The exponential increase of β-hCG levels was similar to that of normal intrauterine pregnancies. The β-hCG levels were not associated with placentation complexity of CSP. Higher β-hCG levels did not implicate less success in conservative surgical management.
