Abstract
Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the role of activin A and follistatin (FS) in the differentiation between viable intrauterine pregnancy from missed miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy (EP).
 Study Design: This was a case–control study.
 Setting: This study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital, from February 2017 to October 2017.
 Patients and Methods: The study included 90 pregnant women, aged from 21 to 40 years old in their the first trimester attending the outpatient and inpatient clinic with single fetal pregnancy with a gestational age range between 6th and 8th weeks, they were divided into three groups; Group A: Includes 30 cases with uncomplicated pregnancies in their first trimester, Group B: Includes 30 cases diagnosed as missed miscarriages, and Group C: Includes 30 cases diagnosed as EPs.
 Results: There was no significant difference in the maternal age and body mass index between the three groups, β-human chorionic gonadotropin, activin A, FS, and their ratio were significantly higher in the healthy intrauterine pregnancy compared to missed miscarriage and EP. Activin A and activin A/FS ratio had an excellent ability to discriminate EP from healthy intrauterine pregnancy, while FS alone had good ability to discriminate between EP and intrauterine pregnancy. Activin A had fair ability to discriminate missed miscarriage from intra healthy uterine pregnancy, while both FS and activin A/FS ratio had poor ability to differentiate missed miscarriage and intrauterine pregnancy.
 Conclusion: Activin A can be used with high accuracy as a biomarker for EP and missed miscarriage, FS alone, and activin A/FS ratio is a possible biomarker, but it offers lower accuracy compared to activin A alone.
Highlights
Implantation is a critical step in a successful pregnancy which is supported by a healthy placenta and meticulous synchronization between the developing embryo and the cycling endometrium [1]
There was no significant difference in the maternal age and body mass index between the three groups, β-human chorionic gonadotropin, activin A, FS, and their ratio were significantly higher in the healthy intrauterine pregnancy compared to missed miscarriage and Ectopic pregnancy (EP)
Activin A and activin A/FS ratio had an excellent ability to discriminate EP from healthy intrauterine pregnancy, while FS alone had good ability to discriminate between EP and intrauterine pregnancy
Summary
The study included 90 pregnant women, aged from 21 to 40 years old in their the first trimester attending the outpatient and inpatient clinic with single fetal pregnancy with a gestational age range between 6th and 8th weeks, they were divided into three groups; Group A: Includes 30 cases with uncomplicated pregnancies in their first trimester, Group B: Includes 30 cases diagnosed as missed miscarriages, and Group C: Includes 30 cases diagnosed as EPs
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have