Publication:

Evaluation of outcome of pregnancy in threatened abortion by serum progesterone levels

Background Early pregnancy maintenance depends on the progesterone production by the developing trophoblasts of the placenta and the corpus luteum of ovary. Threatened abortion has a psychological impact on patients so we need to have a tool that could predict the outcome of threatened abortion in advance. Serum progesterone level has shown to be a reliable marker of pregnancy outcome. The aim of the study was to assess the correlation between maternal serum progesterone level and pregnancy outcome in threatened abortion and to assess the role of maternal serum progesterone levels in the immediate diagnosis of pregnancy failure.

Methods This observational study was conducted in the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Lalla Ded Hospital, Government Medical College, Srinagar over a period of 1 year in 100 women presenting with threatened abortion of less than 12 weeks of gestation, having spotting but without cervical dilatation.

Results Mean maternal serum progesterone level in patients of threatened abortion who aborted was 21.5 ± 10.4 nanograms per millilitre and patients of threatened abortion who progressed normally to the period of viability had mean maternal serum progesterone level of 41.6 ± 10.8 nanograms per millilitre. Considering 24 nanograms per millilitre as cut off  limit, 19% of patients of threatened abortion were having serum progesterone level of lesser than or equal to 24 nanograms per millilitre and 81% of patients of threatened abortion were having serum progesterone level of greater than 24 nanograms per millilitre.

Conclusions Serum progesterone level is easy and reliable assay for determination of pregnancy outcome.