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9092219 
Journal Article 
Immunologic tests for pregnancy. A comparison 
Kerber, IJ; Inclan, AP; Fowler, EA; Davis, K; Fish, SA; , 
1970 
1 
Obstetrics and Gynecology
ISSN: 0029-7844
EISSN: 1873-233X 
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC 
NEW YORK 
37 
English 
4912253 
WOS:A1970G830500007 
A study was undertaken to determine the most reliable immunologic pregnancy test or tests and to determine which factors unrelated to pregnancy influence test results. 1 direct latex aggutination test using both serum and uterine. 4 latex inhibition-agglutination slide tests, and 3 hemagglutination-inhibition tube tests were used. These tests were compared in pregnant and nonpregnant patients in the following categories: patients with proteinuria, those receiving psychotropic drugs, women taking oral progestins, postmenopausal females, and hyperthyroid patients. Also evaluated were patients with a known acute ectopic gestation. In all, 1661 tests were performed on urine and serum samples from 206 patients. patients. Results indicated that there is a difference not only in the sensitivities of the various reagents, but in the degree to which factors other than the presence of chorionic gonadotropin may influence the tests. In general, the hemagglutination-inhibition tube tests are more sensitive than the latex agglutination-inhibition slide tests, and they are, therefore, able to detect lower levels of chorionic gonadotropin. Slide tests, however, can be completed in several minutes while tube tests may take as long as 2 hours to complete. The data of this study indicate that some of the psychotropic drugs, proteinuria, the postmenopausal state, and possibly, hyperthyroidism may cause falsely positive reactions with some of the reagents. The oral estrogen-progestins do not appear to affect the test results. As a general all-purpose office pregnancy screening test, the Pregnosticon Slide test appears to offer the greatest number of advantages and the fewest disadvantages. If increased sensitivity or quantitative studies are desired, the tube tests (UCG, Pregnosticon Tube and Pregnosticon Accuspheres) should be used for problem pregnancies.