Incorrect diagnosis of placental insufficiency in a patient with pre-eclampsia

A case of pre-eclampsia is described where suspicion of placental insufficiency arose due to low estriol levels and a positive oxytocin challenge test (OCT). The cause, however, of these findings was later proven to be strictly fetal. It is concluded that low estriol levels and a positive OCT may be caused by a decreased placental capacity but specific tests of placental function, as for instance estimations of HPL in plasma and/or a DHAS-test, should be used to verify or rule out a suspicion of placental insufficiency.