A simple and sensitive nonradioactive method for the detection of urinary human chorionic gonadotropin and diagnosis of early human pregnancy. I. Multiple-unit test

Abstract

A simple, sensitive, and reproducible method for the detection of urinary human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and diagnosis of early human pregnancy is reported. A 5-ml aliquot of filtered early-morning urine sample was concentrated in a microconcentrator (M) to 0.1 ml of retentate which was diluted with 0.4 ml of distilled water and tested in a hemagglutination inhibition test (M-HIT). Also, a 0.1-ml aliquot of filtered unconcentrated urine sample was diluted with 0.4 ml of distilled water and tested in the same hemagglutination inhibition test (HIT). Urine samples from women of reproductive age; from perimenopausal, menopausal, and proteinuric women; and from adult males were tested in the HIT and M-HIT. Some of these urine samples were also tested in the mouse ovulation bioassay (MOB). The M-HIT was significantly more reliable than the HIT for diagnosis of early pregnancy 25 to 55 days after menses. Correct negative results with the M-HIT were obtained in urine samples of most of the nonpregnant cycling, perimenopausal, and menopausal women, and adult males. Urine samples from subjects with severe proteinuria gave false-positive types of reactions in the M-HIT. Positive results were obtained in the MOB with a number of urine samples from pregnant, perimenopausal, and menopausal women. A properly conducted M-HIT should be very valuable in diagnosing pregnancy as early as the 26th day of the cycle in regularly menstruating women.

PIP: This article discusses a simple, sensitive, reproducible method for detecting HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) in the urine and the subsequent early diagnosis of pregnancy. 5 ml of filtered urine sample (early morning) was concentrated in an M (microconcentrator) to 0.1 ml of retentate diluted with 0.4 ml of distilled water. It was then tested in a M-HIT (hemagglutination test). Another 0.1 ml aliquot of urine sample (filtered and unconcentrated) was diluted with the same amount of distilled water and tested in the same HIT (hemagglutination test). Urine samples from women of reproductive age, from perimenopausal, menopausal, and proteinuric women, and from adult males were tested in both the HIT and M-HIT, as well as in the MOB (mouse ovulation bioassay). The M-HIT Proved to be significantly more reliable than the HIT for diagnosis of early pregnancy, 25-55 days following menses. Appropriate negative results were obtained with the M-HIT in those urine samples from most of the nonpregnant, cycling, perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, and the adult males. False-positive reactions in the M-HIT resulted from the urine specimens of those with severe proteinuria. The MOB yielded positive results in a number of urine samples from pregnant, perimenopausal and menopausal women. The M-HIT, if properly done, indicates high reliability in diagnosing pregnancy as early as the 26th day in the cycles of menstruating women.