Serum CA-125 in ectopic pregnancy

ABSTRACT

CA-125 is a glycoprotein, its origin is uncertain during pregnancy. It rises during the first trimester and returns to a non-pregnancy range in late pregnancy. To compare CA-125 levels between tubal ectopic and normal intrauterine pregnancy, and to find it's usefulness in differentiating intact from ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy. This prospective case-control study was carried out on sixty healthy women with single normal intrauterine pregnancy [NIUP] of 6-10 weeks gestation and sixty women with tubal ectopic pregnancy of same gestational age which were further subdivided into twenty-five women with ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy [REP] and thirty-five women with unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy [UREP]. The levels of CA-125 were compared between these groups. The mean level of CA-125 in ruptured ectopic pregnancy group was 49.04 +/- 33.63 IU/ml and in unruptured ectopic pregnancy group was 24.3 +/- 16.89 IU/ml. The mean level of CA-125 in normal pregnant women [control group] was 53.95 +/- 31.2 IU/ml. There was a statistically significant difference between mean serum CA-125 levels of ruptured ectopic pregnancy and unruptured ectopic pregnancy group [p< 0.05], also there was a statistically significant difference between mean of CA-125 level of unruptured ectopic pregnancy group and control group [p <0.05], while there was no statistically significant difference between ruptured ectopic pregnancy group and control group [p > 0.05]. CA-125 level is significantly elevated in ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy than the intact tubal ectopic pregnancy, this increase in CA-125 levels can be used as additional test to identify tubal rupture.