Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (20)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by SWEENEY, A. M.
Right arrow Articles by LAPORTE, R. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by SWEENEY, A. M.
Right arrow Articles by LAPORTE, R. E.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 127, No. 4: 843-850
Copyright © 1988 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health

research-article

EVALUATION OF METHODS FOR THE PROSPECTIVE IDENTIFICATION OF EARLY FETAL LOSSES IN ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDIES

ANNE M. SWEENEY1, MARGUERITE R. MEYER1, JEROME H. AARONS2, JAMES L. MILLS3 and RONALD E. LAPORTE1,

1Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA 15261
2Department of Medicine, Magee-Womens Hospital Pittsburgh, PA
3Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD

Reprint requests to Dr. Ronald E. LaPorte

A major problem in the epidemiologic investigation of early fetal losses has been incomplete or biased ascertainment. In order to assess early fetal losses more accurately, one must first develop a simple method to identify early pregnancy. This study, conducted at the University of Pittsburgh from October 1985 through October 1986, has developed such a method through the use of monoclonal antibody urine pregnancy testing kits. A total of 88 volunteers collected urine samples beginning on the seventh postovulatory day and continued until either menses occurred or a serum radioimmunoassay pregnancy test was performed on day 16. If pregnancy was diagnosed, all of the participant's urine specimens from that menstrual cycle were analyzed by five monoclonal antibody tests. A total of 34 pregnancies were diagnosed, six (18%) of which resulted in early fetal losses. Pregnancy was first detectable between eight and 18 days postovulation. The mean time to the first positive test was 14 days for all five kits. The results indicate that it is possible to diagnose early pregnancy with urine testing and that this method is likely to prove acceptable for use in large-scale prospective studies.

abortion; antibodies; monoclonal; gonadotropins; chorionic; pregnancy


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 JAMAHome page
J. L. Mills, G. G. Rhoads, J. L. Simpson, and G. C. Cunningham
Vitamins During Pregnancy and Neural Tube Defects
JAMA, May 23, 1990; 263(20): 2747 - 2748.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.