A 14-year-old girl with premature ovarian insufficiency but with a positive pregnancy test

Robbert N.H. Touwslager*, C. Michel Zwaan, Boudewijn Bakker, Eef G.W.M. Lentjes, Leendert H.J. Looijenga, Hanneke M. Van Santen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

Objectives:
Childhood cancer survivors are at risk for premature ovarian insufficiency, especially after treatment with alkylating agents. The objective of this report is to highlight a case in which this phenomenon caused a false-positive pregnancy test.

Case presentation:
A workup was performed in a 14-year-old girl with a positive pregnancy test. She was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma of the left adrenal gland at the age of 4 years. She received extensive treatment, including alkylating agents, and had been diagnosed with premature ovarian insufficiency. An LH/hCG suppression test was performed using high dose 17 bèta-estradiol: hCG levels normalized.

Conclusions:
The pregnancy test was false-positive due to production of low amounts of hCG by the pituitary gland as a result of high LH concentrations following premature ovarian insufficiency. It may be helpful to perform the LH/hCG suppression test to prove pituitary origin of the hCG overproduction.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)482-485
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume37
Issue number5
Early online date15 Apr 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 May 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston.

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