A study published in Springerplus from researchers at Ahmadi Hospital and Ain Shams University reveals a simple blood test that may help predict the viability of pregnancy with early vaginal bleeding. Data was collected from 260 women – 178 viable pregnancies and 82 non-viable pregnancies. All patients were admitted to the hospital for abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding at around 10 weeks gestation.
Doctors took a two ml blood samples from all patients and ran a progesterone assay. About 94% of viable pregnancies measured in excess of 10 ng/ml of progesterone. About 80% of women who later lost the pregnancy measured less than 10 ng/ml of progesterone.
Conclusion: When patients in early weeks of pregnancy complain of abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding, a progesterone assay may be able to predict the viability of the pregnancy. Researchers involved with the study did not suggest how attending physicians or obstetricians should use the information. No information was provided regarding how long after the progesterone assay the pregnancy spontaneously terminated.
Source: Abdelazim IA, Elezz AA, Elsherbiny M. Relation between single serum progesterone assay and viability of the first trimester pregnancy. Springerplus. 2012 Dec;1(1):80. Epub 2012 Dec 27.