HCG Levels - Signs and indications | Average HCG Level chart by DPO | Beta HCG levels
Pregnancy testing is crucial for accurate and reliable diagnosis of pregnancy. A blood test for beta HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is the most sensitive and accurate test, produced by the embryo. Urine pregnancy kits are less expensive and can detect a pregnancy as early as 1 to 2 days after missing a period. However, errors in interpreting test results can occur due to dilute urine, improper test procedures, or urinary tract infections. The post-IVF 2WW is a time of suspense and anxiety, and urine pregnancy tests can be a helpful tool in managing pregnancy problems. Beta HCG levels vary according to gestational age, with levels typically around 100 mIU/ml or more at 14 days after ovulation (DPO). Serial measurements are more useful, as HCG levels should double every 48-72 hours in a healthy pregnancy. If HCG levels don't double as expected, it suggests an unhealthy pregnancy, such as a non-viable intrauterine pregnancy or an ectopic pregnancy.
The pregnancy test, or HCG test, is a reliable indicator of a healthy pregnancy, as it doubles every 2 to 3 days. However, problems with HCG testing can occur if the exogenous HCG is excreted after 10 days. HCG levels are only useful during early pregnancy, and they do not provide information about the pregnancy's location. HCG levels may continue to rise even if the pregnancy is non-viable, and after 7 weeks, ultrasound scans are more useful. Doctors often manipulate HCG levels to inflate their success rates, causing false hope and false hope for patients. It is crucial for patients to be well-informed about the HCG test and its implications.
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Pregnancy should be documented as early as possible. This is important because appropriate care and precautions can then be taken at an early stage. The most sensitive, accurate, and reliable pregnancy test is a blood test for the presence of beta HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), often just called "beta". The HCG is produced by the embryo and is the embryo's signal to the mother that pregnancy has occurred.
HCG is a very interesting molecule. It is unusual because it is produced only by the trophoblastic cells of the embryo ( these cells are the ones that nourish the embryo and later develop into the placenta. ) This means that if the HCG is negative, this confirms you are not pregnant.
( Men will always have a negative HCG result).
Read more- Why is it so hard to make sense of your HCG levels?
Modern urine pregnancy kits (using monoclonal antibody technology ) are now quite sensitive and can detect a pregnancy as early as 1 to 2 days after missing a period (at a blood HCG level of about 50 to 100 mIU/ml). The benefit of urine pregnancy test kits is that they are less expensive, and testing can be done at home by the patient herself.
However, instructions need to be followed carefully, and errors in interpreting the test results are not uncommon. These errors could occur if the urine is too dilute; if the test is not done properly; or if there is a urinary tract infection that exists.
The post-IVF 2ww is full of suspense and anxiety, and women want to know how soon they can do a urine pregnancy test after the transfer to find out if the cycle has been successful or not. Many will start testing 5 days after the transfer. However, you need to remember the limitations of the urine tests which can create problems if you test too early,
1. Even if you are pregnant, the urine test may not be positive, because the HCG levels in the urine are often very low at this time. This is called a false negative and can depress you.
2. Even if you are not pregnant, the urine test may be positive, because of the HCG present in your body as a result of the HCG trigger shot given before egg collection.This is called a false positive and can create false hope.
It's best to be patient - I know this waiting can be hard, but there's little choice!
Read more- The 2 week wait and IVF
Here's a simple trick to remember. If your urine test is positive, this is usually a good sign. It's a good idea to re-test the next day, at which time the test result line should become darker. This is very reassuring and strongly suggests you are pregnant.
The major advantage of blood tests is the fact that they measure the actual level of HCG in the blood - and this factor can be very helpful in managing pregnancy problems if they occur. You can often self-order them yourself, as sites such as www.mymedlab.com!
Beta HCG levels vary according to gestational age. In a non-pregnant woman, they are less than 10 mIU/ml. They are typically about 100 mIU/ml 14 days after ovulation (DPO) in a healthy singleton pregnancy.
A lot of women who have done IVF get confused when reading their HCG results! The reason for this confusion is that they are not sure how to date their pregnancy. Shouldn't the pregnancy start from the day of the embryo transfer? Yes, this is logical, but in real life, pregnancies are dated from the first day of the last menstrual period ( LMP).
This is called the menstrual age and is 2 weeks more than the age as calculated from DPO ( or the date of egg collection). Note that the HCG level is typically about 100 mIU/ml or more at 14 DPO . 14 DPO is considered to be 4 weeks pregnant, as measured from the LMP ( menstrual age).
As one would expect, the levels are higher in multiple pregnancies because there is more placental tissue in multiple pregnancies.
While a single level provides useful information, serial measurements are much more useful. HCG levels should double every 48- 72 hours in a healthy pregnancy. If the HCG levels drop, this confirms the pregnancy is miscarrying. Nothing can be done to save it.
If the levels don't double as expected, this suggests that the pregnancy is unhealthy. Possibilities include a non-viable intrauterine pregnancy which will miscarry; or an ectopic pregnancy. If the beta HCG level is more than 1000 mIU/ml, and the doctor cannot see a pregnancy sac in the uterine cavity on a vaginal ultrasound scan, then it's possible you have an ectopic pregnancy.
To get maximal information from an HCG level, remember that it needs to be interpreted in conjunction with your ultrasound scan results. You can see an atlas of what ultrasound scans during early pregnancy look like here. However, there's no point in doing an ultrasound scan if your HCG level is less than 1000 mIU/ml. At such a low level, the sac is likely to be so small that the ultrasound scan will not be able to pick up anything
As the embryo grows rapidly, HCG levels normally double every 2 to 3 days. Thus, one reliable sign of a healthy pregnancy is the fact that the HCG levels are increasing rapidly, and often doctors may need to do 2 HCG levels 3 days apart in order to determine the viability of the pregnancy. A rising HCG level is reassuring. Below is an average HGC level chart based on DPO -
Problems with HCG testing can occur if you have earlier been given HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) injections for inducing ovulation. Normally, this exogenous HCG is excreted by the body in 10 days; but sometimes it can linger on. This is why, if the HCG level is very low, the test may need to be repeated, to confirm that the level is increasing.
Read more- Negative beta HCG after IVF
These are pregnancies in which the HCG test is positive after the period has been missed; the levels increase but are still low, and no pregnancy is ever documented on ultrasound. Biochemical pregnancies are often seen after IVF and GIFT. While they are not clinical pregnancies, they are of useful prognostic information, because they may mean that your chance of getting pregnant in a future cycle is good.
One drawback of the HCG test is that a positive HCG simply means pregnancy is present in the body - it does not provide any information about the location of this pregnancy, which may be tubal or ectopic.
During very early pregnancy, HCG levels are the only way of monitoring the pregnancy. HCG levels do not increase as rapidly as they should means that there is a problem with the pregnancy - the embryo may miscarry because it is unhealthy, or the pregnancy could be an ectopic pregnancy. Differentiating between the two conditions is obviously important, and this is where vaginal ultrasound plays a key role.
Remember that the HCG is produced by the placenta, and not the embryo. This means that the HCG levels may continue to rise even if you have a non-viable pregnancy ( also known as an anembryonic pregnancy or missed abortion).
After 7 weeks, HCG levels are of little use in monitoring the health of the pregnancy. After this time, ultrasound scans are much more useful, as they allow us to directly see the fetus.
This means that the reason you missed your periods is that you did not ovulate. This is called anovulation. Your doctor may need to induce a period for you to use medicines such as progestins or birth control pills.
Many IVF doctors are very creative in manipulating the HCG results and interpreting them because they want to inflate their success rates! How do they fool their patients?
It's quite easy for doctors to "game the system" - and the sad truth is that some doctors will do so! That's why it's so important for patients to be well-informed!
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You can also schedule a paid consultation via video call by clickinghere, or if you're in Mumbai and require IVF treatment or personal care, you can whatsappus to book an appointment and come to ourClinic in Colaba, Mumbai.