Objective:
To present a case of abnormally trending hCG levels due to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and to portray the obscurities of this commonly used method for tracking early pregnancies.
Design:
Case report.
Setting:
Outpatient ART facility.
Patient:
A patient who received controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in an ART cycle.
Intervention:
Supportive care.
Main outcome measure:
hCG level.
Result:
The hCG levels in this patient with OHSS trended in an abnormal fashion, suggesting a failing or ectopic pregnancy, but the patient had a normal intrauterine fetus.
Conclusion:
hCG levels may be falsely low in pregnancies complicated by OHSS.