Serum progesterone levels in early imminent abortion.

Blood progesterone levels of 112 women in 5 to 10 weeks of gestation were analyzed. Of them, 58 women were admitted for voluntary surgical abortion (control group), while 54 patients showed clinical signs of imminent spontaneous abortion (study group). Mean progesterone levels by gestational age (5 to 10 weeks--control/study) were as follows: 49.4/33.4-54.2/36.5-57.8/39.8-68.2/46.2-83.4/69.1-99.8/98.9 nmol/l. These values were significantly lower in the 5 to 9-week spontaneous abortion patients compared to the controls. No significant difference was observed in the 10-week group. The authors consider progesterone assays as a useful screening method for progesterone deficiency among imminent abortion patients and providing basis for better knowledge of the physiological background and meaningful therapy of this pathological condition.