Rate of detection of unsuspected pregnancies after implementation of mandatory point-of-care urine pregnancy testing prior to hysterosalpingography.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the rate of detection of unsuspected pregnancies after the implementation of mandatory point-of-care urine pregnancy testing before hysterosalpingography (HSG). At the authors' institution, HSGs are scheduled to occur during days 8 to 12 of the menstrual cycle. Upon arrival in the radiology department, all women undergo point-of-care urine pregnancy testing before HSG (at a cost of $1.25 per test). Urine pregnancy test results were retrospectively reviewed. Four hundred ten women (mean age, 25.9 years; range, 22-50 years) underwent point-of-care urine pregnancy testing before HSG between October 2010 and July 2012. Study indications were infertility evaluation (90.7% [372 of 410]) and tubal patency assessment after placement of tubal occlusive devices (9.3% [38 of 410]). Two positive urine pregnancy test results (0.5%) were recorded. One positive result was deemed a false-positive because the patient had received an intramuscular injection of β-human chorionic gonadotropin before the scheduled HSG, and follow-up laboratory testing showed declining β-human chorionic gonadotropin levels. The second positive result was a true-positive, and the patient was determined to be 4.5 weeks pregnant on the date of the scheduled HSG. One of 410 women presenting for HSG was found to have an unsuspected early pregnancy, which was detected with a point-of-care urine pregnancy test. Consideration should be given to routine pregnancy testing of women before HSG because scheduling on the basis of menstrual cycle dates can be unreliable.