Maternal serum βhCG level and uterine artery doppler studies as predictors of pregnancy induced hypertension and intra uterine growth restriction: a prospective study

Background: PIH, a pregnancy-specific disorder, is one of the major causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide.PIH and fetal growth restriction are important causes of perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortility.Methods: Hundred Indian pregnant women in their second trimester (13-20 weeks) and in their late second trimester (24-28 weeks) investigated for their serum β-hCG level and uterine artery Doppler studies respectively, attending OPD/IPD in Sir T. hospital, Bhavnagar from June 2014 to June 2015.Results: There is no clinical significance between parity and occurrence of PIH (p=0.2) and FGR (p=0.7). Out of 77 patients with their β hCG level ≤2 MoM, 2 patients (2.59%) developed PIH and FGR. And from 12 patients with their β hCG level ≥2 MoM 10 patients (80%) developed PIH and FGR which is highly significant (p<0.001). The study establishes the validity of beta HCG as a predictor of PIH and FGR with the sensitivity of 83.3%, specificity of 97.5%.Conclusions: This study can be concluded by there is a strong association between high maternal serum ß-hCG level, abnormal uterine Doppler studies with predicting adverse outcome of pregnancy like PIH and FGR. There is also a good association between high maternal serum ß-hCG level and rising severity of the disease