A comparative study of human chorionic gonadotropin, placebo, and bed rest for women with early threatened abortion.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effect of hCG therapy with placebo or bed rest in women with threatened abortion.

DESIGN

Random assignment, double-blind.

SETTING

Community hospitals.

PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS

Sixty-one women with viable pregnancies under 8 weeks' gestation on admission to hospital were randomly allocated to receive injections of hCG or placebo, or were advised to rest in bed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Abortion vs. continuation of pregnancy at 16 weeks' gestation.

RESULTS

Thirty-one aborted: 6/20 on hCG, 10/21 on placebo, 15/20 on bed rest. hCG vs. bed rest, P < .01; placebo vs. bed rest, hCG vs. placebo--not significant. Plasma progesterone: continuing pregnancy > abortion, P < .01; continued with hCG vs. aborted on placebo, P < .001; continued with hCG vs. aborted with bed rest, P < .001. No significant differences in pregnancy/birth complications or infants' birth weight. Female/male ratio was 2:1.

CONCLUSIONS

hCG is significantly better than bed rest.