HORMONAL AND SONOGRAPHIC FOLLOW-UP OF EARLY PREGNANCIES - DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS OF ECTOPIC PREGNANCY AND MULTIPLE PREGNANCY

In this study sonographical and hormonal findings in 63 patients with intrauterine singleton pregnancy were compared with 18 patients with multiple pregnancies and 28 patients with ectopic pregnancy. The earliest detection of the intrauterine gestational sac was obtained with a HCG level of 659 mlU/ml. The sonographical development correlated well with HCG values. There was no statistically significant correlation between gestational age and HCG. In multiple pregnancies with sonographical findings comparable to the development in singletons HCG values were remarkably elevated. A discrimination between multiple and ectopic pregnancies by sonographical and hormonal criteria cannot be performed sufficiently in a HCG zone of 1500 mlU/ml. Close sonographical and hormonal follow-up until diagnosis of the intrauterine pregnancy is necessary.