Unrecognised second-trimester pregnancy with fetal demise presenting as acute abdomen and a negative pregnancy test
Desouky, Marwa E
Desouky, Marwa E
Abstract
A woman in her early 20s presented with abdominal pain and a heavy period, unaware that she was 18 weeks pregnant. Despite a negative urine pregnancy test, imaging revealed intrauterine fetal demise. This rare case highlights the importance of maintaining clinical suspicion and performing early imaging, as pregnancy tests may yield false-negative results in cases of miscarriage and fetal demise. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is produced by the placenta, but when a pregnancy fails to develop normally, such as in miscarriage, hCG levels may be lower than expected or decline, leading to negative test results despite advanced gestation.
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Date
2025
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Desouky ME. Unrecognised Second-Trimester Pregnancy With Fetal Demise Presenting as Acute Abdomen and a Negative Pregnancy Test. Cureus. 2025 Dec 5;17(12):e98517. doi: 10.7759/cureus.98517.