Fetal loss after implantation. A prospective study

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Clinical Embryology
• Human Reproduction

Background:

• Early pregnancy loss, including biochemical pregnancies, is a significant concern in reproductive health.
• Accurate prospective data on post-implantation loss rates are crucial for understanding reproductive outcomes.
• Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a key biomarker for early pregnancy detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively determine the incidence of post-implantation pregnancy loss.
• To quantify pregnancy loss rates in women undergoing conception monitoring.
• To evaluate conception rates following intra-uterine device removal.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 197 women over 623 menstrual cycles.
• Pregnancy diagnosis based on urinary human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) detection during the luteal phase.
• Tracking of conceptions, spontaneous abortions, and biochemical pregnancies.

Main Results:

• A total of 152 conceptions were identified across 623 cycles.
• The overall post-implantation pregnancy loss rate was 43%.
• 14 losses were clinically recognized spontaneous abortions, while 50 were biochemical pregnancies (hCG only).

Conclusions:

• A substantial proportion of early conceptions result in pregnancy loss, often undetected clinically.
• Biochemical pregnancies represent a significant component of early pregnancy loss.
• Conception rates peaked at 36% in the first cycle post-intrauterine device removal.