Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39652238›Full record

ArticleJournal of assisted reproduction and genetics2025

Detecting defects: low initial serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level may predict future fetal anomalies following frozen embryo transfer (FET).

Elise Heisler, Emily Weidenbaum, Jennifer K Blakemore

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Elise HeislerNew York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 1st Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA. elise.heisler@nyulangone.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0194-9379
Emily WeidenbaumNew York University Langone Fertility Center, NYU Langone Health, 159 East 53rd St, 3rd Floor, New York, NY, 10022, USA.
Jennifer K BlakemoreNew York University Langone Fertility Center, NYU Langone Health, 159 East 53rd St, 3rd Floor, New York, NY, 10022, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo investigate the relationship between early serum hCG levels after frozen embryo transfer and fetal anomalies.

methodsThis was a case-control study at a single academic fertility center between 1/2010 and 12/2021, including all patients who underwent euploid frozen embryo transfers resulting in any fetal anomaly confirmed at the time of induced abortion > 10 weeks or any anomaly reported at delivery. Controls included patients with healthy live births matched for age and day/grade of embryo after euploid FET. The primary outcome was fetal anomaly, with comparisons made using serum hCG levels from cycle day 28 to cycle day 35 and percent change between days 28 and 35.

resultsBoth cycle day 28 serum hCG levels and day 35 serum hCG levels were significantly lower in the anomalous group (day 28: 152 vs 177.5 mIU/mL, p < 0.04; day 35: 3033 vs 3744 mIU/mL, p < 0.05). Patients with anomalous outcomes had a significantly lower hCG to start with 5/78 (6.4%) < 50 mIU/mL, 16/78 (20.5%) 51-100 mIU/mL, and 57/78 (73.1%) > 101 mIU/mL, compared to controls 3/78 (3.8%) < 50 mIU/mL, 8/77 (10.3%) 51-100 mIU/mL, and 66/77 (85.7%) > 101 mIU/mL (p < 0.02). However, the rate of rise between day 28 and day 35 was not statistically different (1758.0% vs 2097.0%, p = 0.23).

conclusionPatients with anomalous fetal outcomes following frozen embryo transfer had lower early serum hCG levels than controls with healthy live births, highlighting the potential utility of this serum marker to identify high-risk pregnancies in the first trimester and expedite treatment as appropriate for this rare but devastating outcome.

Indexed as

Chorionic GonadotropinCongenital AbnormalitiesEmbryo TransferAdultCase-Control StudiesCryopreservationFemaleFertilization in VitroHumansLive BirthPregnancyPregnancy OutcomeChorionic GonadotropinFetal anomalyFrozen embryo transferHuman chorionic gonadotropin predictions

Identifiers

PMID39652238
PMCPMC11871150

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.