Qualitative beta-hCG urine assays may be misleading in the presence of molar pregnancy: a case report.

Publication/Presentation Date

7-1-2004

Abstract

Molar pregnancy is a rare complication of pregnancy and the diagnosis is usually confirmed with a markedly elevated beta-hCG and a "snowstorm" appearance on pelvic ultrasound. Patients frequently present with a positive pregnancy test, vaginal bleeding, nausea and vomiting. A 23-year-old woman presented to our Emergency Department with a history of 7 weeks of intermittent vaginal bleeding and 1 h of peri-umbilical abdominal pain. She reported that 7 weeks before this visit she was diagnosed with a miscarriage. The bedside qualitative urine human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) test that we performed was negative, but the quantitative serum hCG was markedly elevated. Ultrasound and operative findings confirmed the diagnosis of molar pregnancy. We conclude that rapid urine qualitative hCG assays may not be reliable in the presence of markedly elevated hCG levels found in molar pregnancy.

Volume

27

Issue

1

First Page

43

Last Page

47

ISSN

0736-4679

Disciplines

Emergency Medicine

PubMedID

15219303

Department(s)

Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty

Document Type

Article

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