Background and objectives: To date, pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and its sequelae remains dreaded complication of pregnancy. Several tests have been proposed for the prediction of PIH but none has been accepted widely due to the controversial results. This study hypothesized that elevated levels of maternal serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) during the early second trimester (13–20 weeks) predict PIH. Materials and methods: The present 1-year prospective study was done in from January 2014 to December 2014 in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Belagavi. A total of 300 pregnant women in early second trimester (gestational age 13–20 weeks) were enrolled. All the women were evaluated for serum β-HCG and followed till delivery, for the development of PIH. Results: Maximum women (57%) were aged from 21 to 25 and the mean age was 23.42 ± 3.25 years. A total of 53.33% of the women were primigravida and most of the women had gestational age of 19 weeks (23.67%). The β-HCG levels of <30000 mIU/mL were noted in 46.33% of the women and mean β-HCG levels were 53338.50 ± 62109.39 mIU/mL and raised levels [rise of ≥2 multiple of median (MOM) β-HCG] was noted in 29% of the women. Out of 300 women, 25 (8.33%) women developed PIH of which 10 (40%) women had gestational hypertension, 9 (36%) developed mild preeclampsia, and 6 (24%) had severe preeclampsia. Significantly higher number of women with β-HCG MOM ≥2 were diagnosed with PIH (p = 0.003). The mean MOM of β-HCG was significantly high in women with PIH (2.41 ± 1.94 vs 1.62 ± 1.46; p = 0.012). Also significantly higher number of women with severe preeclampsia (83.33%), gestational hypertension (60%) had β-HCG levels of ≥2 MOM compared with women with mild preeclampsia (33.33%) (p = 0.002). There was significant rise in mean β-HCG MOM levels in women with mild preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and severe preeclampsia compared with women who did not develop PIH (p = 0.002). The sensitivity of β-HCG considering a cut-off value of ≥2 MOM was 56% and specificity was 73.45%. Conclusion and interpretation: There is strong association between elevated serum β-HCG levels of >2 MOM and development of PIH but it is not a good predictor of PIH due to low sensitivity (56%) and moderate specificity (73.45%).