The hCG calculator will help to decipher the results of a hCG blood test in dynamics by days from the date of conception, embryo transfer (after IVF) or delay, determine the gestational age and evaluate the growth dynamics of the hormone level.
HCG doubling period in a single pregnancy
HCG begins to be produced already on the 6-10th day after the fertilization of the egg. In the first weeks, hCG levels should double approximately every 2 days. As the gestational age increases, its growth rate slows down - when it reaches the level of 1200 mU / ml, hCG doubles every 3-4 days (from 72 to 96 hours), and after 6000 mU / ml doubling occurs on average every 4 days (96 hours).
PM - according to the date of the last menstruation.
DPO - days after ovulation.
The concentration of hCG reaches a maximum at 9-11 weeks of pregnancy, then the level of hCG begins to decline slowly.
In multiple pregnancies, the hCG content increases in proportion to the number of fetuses, and on average, hCG in pregnant women with twins (triplets) is usually higher than in other pregnant women at the same time.
Laboratory Standards and User Results
HCG rates may vary from laboratory to laboratory. This is due to the use of various research methods, reagents and other factors. Therefore, to correctly assess the growth dynamics of the hormone, it is necessary to conduct research in one laboratory and evaluate the results relative to the norms of this laboratory. The hCG calculator allows you to evaluate your results relative to the norms of different laboratories:
The results of other users on the graph may also differ (depending on laboratory standards), contain errors (for example, data entered incorrectly).
HCG is a unique hormone. It not only allows you to determine a successful conception when other methods are not yet informative, but also helps to track the course of pregnancy. Each stage of gestation has its own hormone norm, but the indicator may deviate. Often deviations occur in a big way. What does increased hCG indicate during pregnancy? Why is it important not to ignore analysis results that go beyond the norm? A woman expecting a baby needs to know everything about the “pregnancy hormone”. This will help not to miss the alarming "calls" and at the same time drive away empty fears.
A healthy diet is the key to well-being
HCG is a specific hormone that is familiar to all women who are in an “interesting position.” Analysis of the concentration of the substance is mandatory for pregnant women. The chemical composition of the hormone is a glycoprotein. It consists of alpha and beta subunits. Beta-hCG allows you to determine pregnancy and track its progress.
The production of human chorionic gonadotropin begins only after successful conception. The exception is cases of cancer, when hCG is found in the blood of non-pregnant women and even in the blood of men. However, this is a pathological phenomenon, while the presence of a hormone in pregnant women is normal.
HCG produces a fetal membrane. The production of the hormone begins immediately after implantation of the ovum. By the presence of hCG, it is possible to determine whether conception occurred in this cycle. Detection of the hormone in the blood indicates an “interesting position” when other methods of determination are not yet able to say anything. Test strips also react to hCG. However, an informative amount of the hormone in the urine occurs later than in the blood.
The functional value of the hormone
“Pregnancy hormone” plays a key role in the successful bearing and development of the fetus. At the beginning of the term, it is important that the concentration of hCG increase. This is necessary for the preservation and normal development of pregnancy. Gonadotropin is responsible for:
- functioning of the corpus luteum;
- the production of important hormones - progesterone, estrogen;
- lack of menstruation;
- protection of embryonic cells from attacks of female immunity (decreased immune function prevents fetal rejection).
Young mother and newborn baby
After laying the organs, the hormone ensures the proper functioning of the baby’s genital glands and adrenal glands in the prenatal period. If the egg was fertilized with a Y-sperm, then hCG promotes the synthesis of testosterone. Due to this, the formation of the fetus by the male type occurs.
Although hCG should increase before the 11th week, its excessive concentration in the blood is a bad sign. The hormone is a marker of fetal genetic diseases: a significant increase increases the likelihood of detecting chromosomal abnormalities in the baby. High levels may indicate pregnancy complications.
If you first pass an analysis on hCG to confirm the guesses about a successful conception, then then it becomes an integral part of trimester screenings.
How to pass the analysis correctly
In order for the analysis for hCG to show a reliable result, you need to know some nuances. How to pass the analysis? To determine pregnancy, you can visit the laboratory starting from the third day of the delay of menstruation or on the tenth - fourteenth day from the day of the proposed conception. If the analysis is done earlier, then its accuracy remains in doubt, a control test will be required. It is possible to identify the pathology of pregnancy or confirm its normal course only by tracking hCG in dynamics. If the initial analysis showed any deviations from the norm, then venous blood will have to be donated again.
Hormone testing is part of the screening: it is done at 10-14th, and then at 16-17th weeks. You may need to repeat the analysis several times: it all depends on the specific case and the specific results.
Expectant mother needs to remember the following rules:
- An hCG test is given on an empty stomach. The best time is morning. If you manage to get to the laboratory only during the day, then you should not eat six hours before the appointed time.
- The day before the blood test, you need to abandon physical activity.
- When taking hormonal drugs, getting a normal result is difficult. Medications shift the level of hormones in one direction, often more. You must inform your doctor in advance about taking such medications.
Compliance with all the nuances allows us to talk about the information content of the analysis, the reliability of the results. However, the probability of error cannot be completely ruled out, especially if the analysis is primary. Sometimes the wrong result is caused by untimely diagnostics: this happens if an error was made in determining the term and the wrong values \u200b\u200bare taken as the basis.
Norms
The first weeks after implantation are characterized by the rapid growth of “pregnancy hormone”. Its level doubles every two days. The presence of such an indicator allows you to determine pregnancy at an extremely early stage. By the 11th week, the concentration of the hormone reaches a peak. After which there is a decline. By week 20, the peak value may decrease by half. From this moment, the level is stabilized.
The norms for each term are presented in the table:
| high hCG during pregnancy | Hormone (unit of measurement - honey / ml) |
|---|---|
| 1st - 2nd | from 25 to 156 |
| 2nd - 3rd | from 101 to 4870 |
| 3rd - 4th | from 1110 to 31500 |
| 4th - 5th | from 2560 to 82300 |
| 5 - 6th | from 23100 to 151000 |
| 6th - 7th | from 27300 to 233000 |
| 7 - 11th | from 20900 to 291000 |
| 11 - 16th | from 6140 to 103000 |
| 16 - 21st | 4720 to 80 100 |
| 21 - 39th | from 2700 to 78100 |
Sometimes, at the end of the term, a repeated peak in the concentration of the hormone is recorded. The jump was previously considered a norm option. Now it is proved that the next peak may be the norm, and may indicate pathology - placental insufficiency. Upon receipt of such a result, additional studies are indicated.
Comparing the results of your own analysis with tabular values, it is important not to make hasty conclusions. A specific laboratory may use other units. Typically, in laboratory diagnostics, the week is determined from conception, and not from the last menstruation. Confusion in these concepts can lead to the fact that the expectant mother panics when she sees her results. Decryption should take place where the analysis was conducted. The correct interpretation of the results can only be given by a doctor.
Sometimes values \u200b\u200bthat do not fall within the normal range are considered acceptable. It depends on the individual characteristics of the body, the nuances of gestation.
IVF hormone levels
In case of artificial insemination, the hormone norms are similar to those in conception in a natural way. After IVF, tracking hCG growth is crucial. So you can determine the successful implantation, which will continue to support pregnancy. If hormone growth is not observed, then support is canceled, and after the body is restored, a new protocol is started.
IVF procedure has helped many find the joy of motherhood
With IVF, the natural mechanisms of conception are disturbed. Because of this, the results of hCG analysis often go beyond the norm. In each specific case, the doctor must determine the risks. High hormone levels after IVF are not uncommon. The procedure involves the transplantation of several embryos. Often two take root, as a result of which the analysis results show a doubling of the norm. With these values, the probability of multiple pregnancy is checked. If multiple pregnancy is not confirmed, they are looking for a cause related to the woman’s health.
An hCG analysis can be done on the tenth to fourteenth day after embryo replanting. The exact time of the test is determined by the doctor. It depends on many factors. For example, it is important to consider how many days an embryo spent in vitro.
Track hCG in the dynamics after IVF before delivery. After the procedure, the probability of self-abortion is high (this is indicated by low levels of the hormone), the development of fetal pathologies (high level).
Overvalued: Reasons
Increased hormone levels require additional studies that will help to understand why a deviation from the norm occurred. The causes of high hCG during pregnancy can be different. The most harmless - multiple pregnancy. With the implantation of several embryos, the level of the hormone increases many times in comparison with the norm. The increase occurs in proportion to the number of fruits. Upon receiving double-overestimated results, pregnancy is checked for multiple fertility. If the guesses are not confirmed, look for other reasons for the deviation from the norm. HCG may increase with:
- early and late toxicosis;
- gestational diabetes;
- trophoblastic tumors in a pregnant woman;
- malformations of the baby;
- chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus;
- taking gestagens.
Sometimes elevated levels of the hormone are qualified as pathological, although in reality it fits into the normal range. The reason for this may lie in the incorrect determination of the term.
HCG as a marker of fetal abnormalities
Prenatal screening is an important part of pregnancy management. Using it, you can identify a number of abnormalities in utero. HCG analysis also applies to screening methods. The hormone is a marker of fetal abnormalities. Based on the results of a laboratory study, you can diagnose serious abnormalities in the fetus before the middle of the term.
An increased level of hCG often indicates the presence of genetic abnormalities in the baby. A chromosomal abnormality is indicated by a twofold increase in the concentration of the hormone in comparison with the norm. A high level is observed with:
- down syndrome;
- edwards syndrome;
- patau syndrome;
- turner syndrome;
- serious heart defects;
- severe neural tube abnormalities.
A high level of hCG detected during the first screening indicates the likelihood of fetal abnormalities. The doctor assesses the risks and prescribes additional examinations. Only then can an accurate diagnosis be made. To eliminate errors, genetics are involved.
In utero, gene mutations can only be identified using invasive diagnostic methods. This is associated with certain risks, however, if there is a high probability of chromosomal abnormalities, then you should not miss the chance to make the correct diagnosis. So the family will be able to objectively assess the situation and make a decision regarding pregnancy.
When a pregnancy is multiple, screening is difficult. The hormone level is overestimated due to the development of several fruits. To calculate in which coefficient gonadotropin should increase in case of multiple pregnancy, and in which in case of anomaly, is problematic.
Trophoblast pathology
An increased concentration of hCG in the blood may indicate the development of trophoblastic pathologies - tumors, cystic drift. A trophoblast is a tissue that forms a septum separator from the side of the fetus. The septum is important for distinguishing the mother’s organism from the developing organism. It provides nutrition to the embryo. If the trophoblast develops into tumor formations, this is fraught with termination of pregnancy, the occurrence of problems in the female body.
Blood fluid analysis will help to detect pathology in time
The pathology of trophoblast is bladder skid. With such an anomaly, the tissue takes the form of many bubbles. They are located in the uterus, occupying its entire cavity. Bubble formations grow rapidly and tend to metastasize. Bubble drift leads to the death of the embryo. It is important to determine the pathology in time, otherwise it can provoke the growth of a malignant tumor.
Diagnosis of cystic drift will help the analysis of the "pregnancy hormone". With pathology, hCG is higher than normal by 2 to 3 times or more. Bubble drift requires abortion and surgical treatment. If this is not done in a timely manner, a number of serious complications may arise, several courses of chemotherapy will be required. During the treatment period and in the next six months, the patient will often have to donate blood for hCG. By tracking this indicator, the doctor can verify the absence of cystic drift cells in the body that can “hide” in any organ. The presence of a hormone in the blood can “give out” them.
Timely diagnosis of trophoblast pathologies and subsequent thought-out therapy contribute to the preservation of reproductive function. This is a guarantee that the next pregnancy will end in a successful delivery.
False positive in the absence of pregnancy
Sometimes the fixation of the “pregnancy hormone” and its subsequent growth occurs when there was no conception. Such an analysis result is called false positive. The following factors can contribute to the production of hCG and increase its level in the absence of pregnancy:
- relapse of cystic drift;
- tumor-like neoplasms (on the organs of the reproductive system, in the lungs, kidneys);
- taking hormonal drugs.
Hormone concentration may be a residual. The indicator does not immediately return to normal after spontaneous abortion or abortion.
The presence of a hormone in the blood, and even more so its high concentration in the absence of pregnancy, indicates a malfunction in the body. It is important to identify the exact cause of this phenomenon as soon as possible, so you should not postpone the trip to the doctor.
High hCG: what to do
An overestimated level of hCG during pregnancy is a reason to beware, but not a reason to panic. To determine what leads to excessive production of the hormone is the doctor’s task. A pregnant woman needs to be tested in a timely manner and listen to the doctor's recommendations. With an increased concentration of the hormone, one can not refuse additional studies, which are prescribed by the doctor. Only a comprehensive diagnosis will help identify the problem and solve it.
Some conditions that are characterized by an increase in hCG do not require medical intervention. These include toxicosis, multiple pregnancy. The only measure the doctor takes is developing an individual pregnancy plan. Multifertility and toxicosis require careful monitoring of the health of the mother and the state of the embryo / s throughout the gestation period.
If the excessive content of the hormone indicates a genetic pathology of the fetus, then the only thing parents can do is make the right decision. However, this should be preceded by a thorough diagnosis, eliminating the likelihood of an erroneous diagnosis. If there are suspicions of chromosomal abnormalities, screening is recommended in several laboratories, contacting not only a qualified gynecologist, but also a professional geneticist. It may take the views of several specialists in the field of genetic diseases.
When the concentration of the hormone is caused by serious problems with women's health, it is important to promptly take measures to help maintain reproductive function. If possible, then timely therapy allows you to save your pregnancy. You need to trust your doctor and follow your treatment plan.
All women planning a pregnancy know how exciting two weeks are after ovulation. Especially difficult for them are the ladies who have long been planning to become pregnant and for some reason their attempts have not yet been crowned with success. Literally every day they look for the earliest symptoms and signs of a possible long-awaited pregnancy, almost a day after ovulation they begin to buy pharmacy tests in order to get at least a ghostly hope for a second streak. About when tests should "strip", we will tell in this article.
How does the second strip appear?
All pregnancy tests, regardless of manufacturer and cost, work the same. A special reagent, applied to the strip, is painted only when a sufficient amount of the hormone is found in the woman’s urine, which is a faithful companion for bearing a child - human chorionic gonadotropin, which is abbreviated in various medical documents as FSHA, GPHa, LHA, TSHA, hCG or HCG.
This substance is often present in analyzes of non-pregnant women, and even men, but in very small quantities. If the coveted event took place and the child was conceived, HCG begins to be produced more actively. It is produced by chorion cells. Gonadotropin is necessary for the female body in order for the pregnancy to develop.
Under its influence, the corpus luteum, which forms after ovulation, does not disappear, as is the case in the absence of pregnancy before menstruation, but remains for the first few months. It takes on the function of the main endocrine organ for the developing embryo.
Under the influence of chorionic gonadotropin hormone the woman’s immunity is somewhat weakened, which increases the chances of the embryo surviving. Otherwise, the mother’s strong and well-trained immunity would simply reject the baby, because it is half alien, because it contains the genetic material of the father.
The production of hCG in the body of a woman gives a “start” command for the active production of progesterone, without which the preservation and bearing of a child will be impossible, as well as the female sex hormone estrogen, which is also extremely important during pregnancy.
Hormone level growing rapidly, starting from the moment of implantation.A fertilized egg within a few hours after meeting with a sperm begins its path into the uterine cavity. She has to go through the fallopian tube, descend into the uterine space and gain a foothold in the wall of the main reproductive female organ.
This moment is called implantation. Sometimes a woman can guess about it herself - by insignificant pulling sensations in the lower abdomen, by a drop of smearing secretions on the daily laying. Implantation usually takes place on 6-10 days after fertilization.Most often - on the eighth day.
From this moment, the chorion starts the production of gonadotropin, and the amount of the hormone gradually grows, increasing almost 2 times every 48 hours. This does not mean that the substance can immediately be found in the blood or urine of a woman.
A certain amount of time must pass before the amount of HCG exceeds the sensitivity thresholds of tests from the pharmacy and laboratory reagents.
How does the hormone level increase?
In women, before pregnancy, the hormone level in the body does not exceed values \u200b\u200bin the range from 0 to 5 mU / ml. And in the urine, the substance is not detected at all. If conception has taken place, then for the first time the level of the hormone will exceed the "non-pregnant" threshold only on the second or third day after implantation. I must say that in all women the hormone is produced with different intensities, and therefore You should not require mathematical accuracy from laboratory assistants.
By the way, these morally difficult days, women dreaming of motherhood, are called the abbreviation of DPO, which means "the day after ovulation." Ovulation, of course, is also not fixed at all, but in the vast majority of cases it falls on the 14-15th day of the cycle - to its very middle with a 28-day menstrual cycle. Thus, 2 DPO is two days after ovulation or the 17th day of the cycle, and 5 DPO is 20 days from the start of the menstrual cycle and only fifth day after the supposed ovulation.
If it’s the fate that the second phase of the female cycle lasts 14 days, then the first day of the delay is considered 14 DPO or 29 day of the cycle.Many women, in anticipation of good news, start testing too early and are very worried about the lack of the coveted second strip. After how many days after conception it is already possible to safely do a hCG test, it becomes clear if you know how the quantitative indicator of the hormonal substance in the blood changes.
Table of averaged quantitative values \u200b\u200bof HCG in the blood during pregnancy:
Time elapsed from ovulation | The average concentration of HCG | Lowest HCG | Highest HCG value |
15 DPO (start of delay) | |||
28 DPO (two weeks delay) |
Test sensitivity
The gonadotropin produced from the moment of attachment of the ovum first enters the bloodstream, and only then part of it is excreted in the urine. Therefore, at the initial stage, even before the onset of delay, only a biochemical blood test can show a “piquant position”.
Tests that are available at any pharmacy or store also differ in their sensitivity, in their ability to "catch" traces of the hormone in the excreted fluid. The minimum is 30 units, the maximum is 10. The most common on the drugstore shelves are test strips with an average sensitivity of 20-25 mU / ml. They are able to respond with a control strip to an increase in the chorionic gonadotropic only 14-15 days after conception. That is why they are recommended to be carried out in the first days of an already completed actual delay so that the results are not in doubt.
If ovulation occurred on time and implantation did not delay, then the analysis will give informative first results at least 10-11 days after fertilization.
Of course, it happens that the test begins to show a weak second streak earlier, but this becomes possible only in women with the development of hCG at the maximum or above the average norm. The conclusion from all of the above is one - if about as early as possible, you should go to the nearest clinic to donate blood for the determination of hCG.
If “time is tolerating”, then a woman should be patient, not be nervous and wait for a delay in order to conduct a simple and understandable home test, which is very likely to give an answer to the main question after 2 weeks from conception.
Weekly growth
Chorionic gonadotropin does not always grow at the same rate as in the first days of pregnancy. At first, it doubles every 48 hours, as soon as the concentration of the substance in the blood exceeds 1200 mU / ml, the growth of the hormone slows down a little - it starts to increase every 72 hours. When the concentration reaches 6000 mU / ml, the growth will become even slower - the quantitative indicator will change every 96 hours.
The amount of pregnancy hormone reaches its maximum by 10-11 weeks of pregnancy, after which it begins to decline at a quiet pace. When pregnancy is multiple, and the expectant mother has two or three children, the level of the hormone in her blood and urine will be two or three times higher than normal (each child’s chorion produces its own “hormonal accompaniment”, hence the overestimated figures).
Possible problems
In trying to understand the values \u200b\u200bof hCG, many women are faced with a host of questions and problems, the answers to which are not so easy to find. Among the many information on the Internet there are few concrete indications of the causes of certain ambiguities associated with the "pregnancy hormone". We tried to put together and answer the most common questions related to the definition of "interesting position" at the very initial stage.
How to make an analysis?
Before a visit to the treatment room or laboratory, it is advisable to refuse fatty foods for 12 hours. The study is carried out by a biochemical method, so an abundance of fat can affect its effectiveness. Blood from a vein is donated to an empty stomach. The result can be obtained in a few hours or in a day, it all depends on the work of a particular laboratory.
Before conducting a home test, prepare a clean, dry urine collection container. No nutritional restrictions are required. It’s best to do a morning urine test, since it is considered the most concentrated. However, many pregnant women cite the fact that they have brighter and clearer second stripes appeared on the evening urine. It all depends not so much on the time of day as on the time elapsed between urination. Before testing, make sure that at least 5 hours have passed since the last trip to the toilet.
Before testing, make sure that at least 5 hours have passed since the last trip to the toilet.
The result does not fit any existing table.
This really happens often, and this is not a reason to worry. The fact is that different laboratories use different reagents and auxiliary technologies for conducting biochemical blood tests. Hence this difference in the final indicators. Taking the ready analysis, do not forget to ask to show the hCG standards for this particular laboratory, so that you have something to compare your results with. And it is best to get an in-person appointment with an obstetrician-gynecologistwho can correctly decrypt data from the laboratory.
Level reduced
Below normal, the level of the substance produced by chorion may be in women who have had late ovulation. The lady herself believes that 14 days have passed after ovulation and is waiting for at least 105 mU / ml in the laboratory assistant's conclusion. But the result is 64 or 80. A woman falls into a stupor and begins to search for the causes of "malfunctions." In fact, she does not even realize that her ovulation “was late” for a couple of days, which entailed the later implantation of a blastocyte into the uterine wall.
The value of chorionic hormone in ladies with the existing threat of spontaneous abortion may be reduced. On the one hand, the threat reduces the production of such an important hormone, and on the other - the threat intensifies amid hCG deficiency.Doctors will help in this situation, because they can offer a woman supporting hormone therapy, which will restore the balance of necessary substances and give the baby a chance.
Above normal
An overestimated level of the hormonal substance produced by the chorion may be when early ovulation has occurred. This is also quite real, and then the embryonic period in fact will differ from that which the woman herself assumes for several days. Thus, a blood test will show better results than expected, and it will be entirely justified, because implantation occurred earlier.
An increased hormonal background may be if a woman became pregnant with twins or triplets. But only ultrasound diagnostics can answer this question and not earlier than at 6-7 weeks of pregnancy, when it will be possible to examine the number of embryos on the scanner monitor. In the meantime, a woman will need to repeat a blood test several times to get a dynamic picture - an increase in the concentration of the hormone during a multiple pregnancy will be uniform, although increased in all respects.
The test gives a negative result, and the blood test is positive
In this case, most likely, there is a pregnancy. It's just that its period is still so small that the concentration of the hormone in the urine (and it is half that in the blood) is not captured by reagents (less than 15-20 mU / ml). After a few days, repeat a simple urine test at home.
A home test gives a positive result, and a blood test - a negative
Most likely, there is no pregnancy. The test may be corrupted, and this is a common phenomenon. It may be held in error. Sometimes for a positive result a woman who really wants a child takes the so-called "ghost" strip - a weak and barely distinguishable second strip of grayish color. This optical phenomenon in most cases is a designation of the place of application of the reagent, which is a little gray after drying strips. The ghost cannot speak of pregnancy.
If in laboratory conditions it is confirmed that the level of the hormone in the blood does not indicate the onset of an “interesting situation”, then you should trust the more accurate method - the laboratory one.
The analysis was positive and then became negative
Women who are not baffled by measuring hormone levels in the second phase of their cycle sometimes experience delays of several days. Then the menstruation comes, although more abundant than usual. Nobody pays attention to this. A woman who by all means will monitor her condition before the delay, including taking tests before her, in this situation can get a very strange result - a positive one, indicating several days of pregnancy, but after a week the tests can give negative results.
If the blood at 11 DPO showed the presence of pregnancy, and the menstruation, although with a delay, still came, most likely, the fetal egg was torn away from the uterine wall.This can happen for a variety of reasons. Most often the root of the problem is genetic defects and anomalies, irreparable nature errors during fertilization. Such an embryo is not able to grow at a normal rate and is rejected.
Why send for analysis?
Sometimes a doctor gives a referral for a blood test to determine the level of hCG. He does this not always and not for everyone. Usually this happens at a reception where a woman comes with complaints of delayed menstruation. It is practically impossible to establish the fact of pregnancy after 10 days of delay by any other means.and therefore the doctor can send the lady home and ask to come later or give a referral to the laboratory.
He will do this if you need to know exactly now whether pregnancy has occurred. This may be necessary if an in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure has been performed, if a woman had previously had miscarriages and frozen pregnancies at the very initial stages of gestation, if she recently had an ectopic pregnancy or had an abortion.
The level of the gonadotropin hormone allows you to not only judge the fact of pregnancy and presumably determine its duration, but also to monitor how the embryo grows and develops in the period before it can be seen on an ultrasound scan.
If hCG is growing at a good pace, and analyzes done with a difference of 5-6 days confirm this, then there is nothing to worry about. If the growth of the hormone slows down or stops, if it begins to decrease, the doctor may suspect a frozen or ectopic pregnancy, which requires speedy surgery to save a woman’s life.
In the next video, experts will tell you about what is hCG or human chorionic gonadotropin.
- Pregnancy test
- When and how to take
- By day from conception
HCG is a hormone whose presence in the body of a woman of childbearing age indicates that she is pregnant. In the process of fetal development, its concentration changes. From these fluctuations, it can be concluded whether the development of the fetus is normal or if certain pathologies are present.
The hCG hormone is produced by the chorion (the outer shell of the embryo) after the embryo has successfully passed the stage of attachment to the uterine wall. The hormone contains alpha, which are more important in the process of diagnosing beta particles. Beta hCG has a special structure and helps to track the state of pregnancy.
Women who want to know about the presence or absence of pregnancy are interested in the logical question of which day to take hCG, because this is the most reliable way to determine a successful conception in the very early stages. The hormone begins to be produced after 5-6 days from the moment of fertilization, so the test for hCG will help establish that a woman is expecting a baby 7-10 days after conception. Such efficiency provides a blood test.
This hormone is also found in urine. Here he begins to appear 14-16 days after fertilization. The concentration of hCG in urine is 2 times lower than in blood. Accordingly, even the most high-quality laboratory analysis of urine is not so effective.
Home test strips designed to independently confirm conception at home are characterized by even less reliability. They should be used 14-16 days after the alleged fertilization. At earlier stages, they are ineffective. But there is a category of hypersensitive tests. They can be used after 1-2 days from the delay of the expected menstruation.
Why is analysis necessary?
Having found out what it is, it is important to consider why a blood test for hCG is performed. Firstly, it allows you to determine pregnancy. This question is described above. Secondly, it is important for women carrying a child to undergo this procedure regularly. The growth of hCG during pregnancy has a clear pattern, which allows us to diagnose whether the development of the fetus is normal.
Indicators of hCG, which do not correspond to the norm, make it possible to identify disorders that occur during the pathological course of pregnancy. Adverse hCG dynamics may indicate miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy (the level and decoding of hCG during ectopic pregnancy, read), chromosomal pathologies and other disorders. If you identify them at an early stage, the doctor may recommend termination of pregnancy to eliminate the risk of giving birth to an unhealthy baby.
For this reason, the level of concentration of human chorionic gonadotropin must be determined 1-1.5 months after conception. When diagnosing a high risk of developing pathology at later stages, the situation becomes more complicated.
Normal performance
The most rapidly growing level of hCG during pregnancy increases in the 1st trimester, especially in the first weeks after conception. With normal development at 10-12 weeks, a peak in its concentration is diagnosed. Then comes the phase when the pace of production is reduced. If at 11-12 weeks after fertilization, hCG grows slowly, and then after 2-3 weeks its concentration decreases, this is normal. Throughout the period of the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, hormone levels remain approximately the same.
So that you can understand how hCG grows in the absence of pathologies, the following is a table of hCG by week of pregnancy.
The table shows the general indicators that correspond to the norm. They are not the only recognized reference. In different laboratories, these parameters may differ, so you need to evaluate your result on the laboratory scale where the analysis was performed.
In different laboratories, the result of hCG can be presented in different designations of units of measure - mU / ml, U / ml or mIU / ml. They all have the same meaning. Regardless of which designation is indicated, the concentration of the hormone does not change.
It must be borne in mind that the norms indicated in the table correspond to the gestational age, calculated from ovulation (the moment of conception). When calculating them, the date of the last menstruation is not taken into account.
The norm of hCG in non-pregnant women is in the range of 0-5 mU / ml. If the results of the analysis demonstrate a level of 5-25 mU / ml, a repeated procedure is required. At this level, it is impossible to completely exclude the possibility that fertilization has occurred, as well as to refute this fact.
Hormone after IVF
It is extremely important that the level of hCG after IVF is within the normal range. As a result of artificial insemination, the embryo often does not take root, so a low level of the hormone often indicates that the conception did not occur or the pregnancy failed.
Table hCG with IVF, showing the level of the hormone in the 1st month of embryo development.
With further development of the fetus, the hCG norm after embryo transfer does not differ from the indicators presented in the table "hCG level by weeks of pregnancy" at the natural conception. You can safely take into account its indicators.
Deviation from the norm
Sometimes hCG indicators during pregnancy are not normal. This may be a signal of the presence of a fetus in the development or about problems with the health of a woman. Consider the possible causes of deviations from the norm.
When hCG has fallen, this is a possible sign:
- , especially if the indicators are below the norm by more than 50%;
- fetal growth retardation;
- chromosomal pathologies, in particular the high likelihood that the child will suffer from;
- placental insufficiency;
- the death of the child, especially when it is diagnosed in the 2nd and 3rd trimester;
- gestation of the fetus;
- diabetes in the expectant mother.
A low concentration of hCG is always diagnosed in a dead pregnancy.
At first, it corresponds to the norm, and then sharply decreases or remains unchanged, despite the fact that it should grow. The cause of this complication may be chromosomal pathologies, infectious diseases of the mother and other disorders.
However, a low hCG is not always indicative of pregnancy problems. Reduced concentration may be due to the fact that the doctor incorrectly determined the period of conception. Often this happens when a woman provides inaccurate information about the menstrual cycle, so it is not possible to correctly calculate the exact time of fertilization.
If elevated hCG is diagnosed, this may indicate the following:
- a mistake in establishing the timing of pregnancy;
- prolonged gestation;
- early toxicosis;
- presence (if HCG growth is diagnosed in the 2nd trimester, this may be a sign of fetal Down syndrome).
The concentration of hCG increases with double, triple, since the production of the hormone is carried out simultaneously by several placentas. At the initial stage of pregnancy, the concentration can be 3 times higher than the parameters indicated in the table.
In the future, the hCG norms for multiple pregnancies are calculated as follows - the standard indicator for a single pregnancy is multiplied by the number of children a woman has.
The presence of a hormone in the body in the absence of pregnancy
The presence of human chorionic gonadotropin is sometimes found in the body of men and non-pregnant women. The following reasons lead to this:
- diseases of the testicles in men, in particular, a malignant tumor of the testicles;
- neoplasms in the uterus, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract and other organs;
- cystic drift, chorionocarcinoma;
- an abortion was made, from which less than a week has passed;
- the use of drugs containing chorionic gonadotropin, such medicines are prescribed to women in preparation for IVF.
Elevated levels of the hormone persist for 5-7 days after a miscarriage, as well as the normal birth of a baby. But in a normal situation, it gradually decreases until it is below 5 mU / ml.
It is considered normal when the hormone is present in the body of women who have had menopause. After the final cessation of menstruation, its level can be 14 honey / ml. This should not cause any worries. But for women of childbearing age, this concentration of the hormone is not normal. If the possibility of pregnancy is ruled out, it is important to undergo a health diagnosis.
How to take an analysis?
The most reliable way to determine the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin and the level of its concentration in the body is to donate blood for hCG. An alternative option is a laboratory analysis of urine, but its accuracy is 2 times lower. Another method that is only suitable for detecting pregnancy is to use a pregnancy test. To guarantee the most accurate result, it is advisable to conduct it 2-3 times.
Before you go to the hospital, the laboratory for analysis, it is important to understand exactly how to donate blood for hCG.
This should be done on an empty stomach, preferably in the morning (before breakfast). When the test material (blood, urine) can be passed only in the afternoon, it is important not to eat 4-6 hours before the procedure. During this period, you need to abandon tea, coffee, juices. It is permissible to drink only clean water.
A day before the test, it is recommended to exclude or minimize the intensity of physical activity. It is better to cancel trips to the gym, jogging, aerobic classes. During physical activity, hormones are released that can affect the objectivity of the result.
It is also necessary to exclude taking medications, especially hormonal ones. If it is impossible to cancel their use, since they are prescribed by a doctor and require strict adherence to the schedule of admission, it is imperative to warn the laboratory assistant which drug you are drinking and in what doses.
Venous blood is taken for analysis. If the laboratory conducts the study of the material on its own, then the result is available on the day the test is taken or the next day. He is ready after 3-4 hours. When the study is carried out in another laboratory, the result is presented in 3-12 days.
How are the results transcribed?
If we consider the question in general, then when the results of the analysis are 20% different from the norm, it is assumed that there is a pathology in the process of fetal development. But each situation must be studied separately, taking into account the individual characteristics of the body.
That is why the decoding of the results should be carried out by a competent doctor. If necessary, he will appoint a re-analysis, which is carried out with an interval of 1-3 days. Only after receiving confirmation or refutation of doubtful results, having carried out additional diagnostics, the doctor will be able to establish a diagnosis, if necessary, prescribe adequate treatment.
If the analysis is carried out to identify the risk of adverse fetal development, its results are presented in the form of screening. It displays the individual risk of developing pathology, presented in a frequency ratio. For example, the probability of development is 1: 1600 (approximate figures are indicated). This means that in a particular situation, the risk of developing this disease is 1 out of 1600 cases.
The norm of hCG during pregnancy is highly likely to indicate that as the fetus grows and develops, there are no complications that are diagnosed using this analysis. But if deviations appear as a result, do not panic. Contact a doctor who correctly interprets the result. The diagnosis confirming the presence of pathology is established only when other diagnostic data are taken into account.
To get a truly objective result, it is important to choose a reliable clinic for the analysis. It will be able to guarantee the accuracy of the study only if there is high-tech laboratory equipment and high professionalism of the staff. Make sure that the laboratory has all the necessary certificates and licenses, giving the right to conduct a specific type of analysis.
HCG testing is familiar to most pregnant women, but many of them think that it is necessary only to establish the fact of pregnancy.
In fact, it allows not only to determine the presence and duration of pregnancy, but also to identify possible complications of its course.
With special attention they monitor the dynamics of this indicator in those women who have had unsuccessful pregnancies in the past.
Human chorionic gonadotropin is a special hormone that begins to be synthesized in the female body with the onset of pregnancy.
In women who are not expecting a baby, this hormone may also be present in the blood, but in a small amount.
The norm is 0-5 mU / ml, which does not suggest the presence of pregnancy.
The hCG hormone, or rather β-hCG, begins to be produced after implantation of the embryo into the uterine epithelium (7-10 days after the fertilization of the egg). It is synthesized by chorionic cells - the fetal membranes of the embryo, which are subsequently converted to the placenta.
The hormone is needed to ensure the normal functioning of the corpus luteum - a special gland that is located in the ovary and produces hormones that contribute to the normal course of pregnancy.
In the absence of pregnancy, it cannot produce a large amount of estrogen and after a while it resolves.
In addition, hCG helps the female body rebuild and adapt to the stress state caused by pregnancy.
(test strips) respond to the presence of a hormone in the urine. This method is less accurate than a blood test because the concentration of hCG in the blood is twice as high as in the urine.
Sometimes laboratory analysis can give a false negative result (there is a pregnancy, but the analysis does not confirm this). This may be due to a violation of the rules of blood donation, late ovulation or implantation of a fetal egg. In these cases, a repeated blood donation is usually prescribed after a few days.
In order for the analysis results to be correct, several conditions must be met:
- analysis can be taken 12-14 days after ovulation, otherwise it will be unreliable;
- blood from a vein is given in the morning on an empty stomach. If this is not possible, you can donate blood in the afternoon. Before this, you need to refrain from eating for several hours;
- on the eve it is recommended to avoid fatty foods, stress and physical exertion;
- if a woman has taken hCG drugs, she needs to be notified in the laboratory.
These rules can be neglected if an urgent determination of the concentration of hCG is necessary (for example, if a pregnancy is suspected or not developing). For such cases, a sharp deviation of the value from the normal level is characteristic and the result will still be obvious.
The growth dynamics of the hormone
A concentration of hCG in the blood of less than 5 mU / ml indicates the absence of pregnancy, above 25 mU / ml - that a woman will become a mother.
A result in the range of 5-25 mU / ml is considered doubtful and requires re-analysis after a few days.
The rate of change in hCG depends on the gestational age. In the early stages of pregnancy, it is growing rapidly, and every 2 days its value doubles.
After the hCG value reaches 1200 mU / ml, doubling takes already from 3 to 4 days.
Upon reaching the threshold of 6000 mU / ml, the level rises 2 times every 4 days.
The growth of hCG continues until 10-12 weeks of pregnancy, then its value gradually decreases.
This is due to the fact that by the end of the first trimester of pregnancy, the formed placenta takes on the function of hormonal support. The corpus luteum becomes unnecessary and disappears, so there is no need to synthesize a large amount of hCG.
After this, the concentration of hCG is approximately at the same level until the birth.
The norms for weeks of pregnancy are a very arbitrary concept, because each medical laboratory uses its own norms. More important is not the absolute value of hCG, but the dynamics of its growth.
The results of the analysis should be interpreted only by a doctor, taking into account the norms of the laboratory and the individual characteristics of the woman.
If it is necessary to track the growth of hCG in dynamics, all analyzes must be done in one laboratory. Different medical centers may have different laboratory methods and standards, so the analysis data may be incorrect.
Table: hCG level by week of pregnancy
Key indicators are presented in the following table.
| Number of weeks | Days from the first day of the last menstruation | Average value, mU / ml | Norm, in honey / ml | Notes |
| 3H + 5D | 26 | 25 | 0-50 | Chorionic villi begin to produce hCG |
| 3H + 6D | 27 | 50 | 25-100 | |
| 4H + 0D | 28 | 75 | 50-100 | delay of menstruation |
| 4H + 1D | 29 | 150 | 100-200 | |
| 4H + 2D | 30 | 300 | 200-400 | |
| 4H + 3D | 31 | 700 | 400-1,000 | |
| 4H + 4D | 32 | 1,710 | 1050-2,800 | |
| 4H + 5D | 33 | 2,320 | 1,440-3,760 | |
| 4H + 6D | 34 | 3,100 | 1,940-4,980 | |
| 5H + 0D | 35 | 4,090 | 2,580-6,530 | |
| 5H + 1D | 36 | 5,340 | 3,400-8,450 | |
| 5H + 2D | 37 | 6,880 | 4,420-10,810 | |
| 5H + 3D | 38 | 8,770 | 5,680-13,660 | Ultrasound is visible yolk sac |
| 5H + 4D | 39 | 11,040 | 7,220-17,050 | |
| 5H + 5D | 40 | 13,730 | 9,050-21,040 | |
| 5H + 6D | 41 | 15,300 | 10,140-23,340 | |
| 6H | 42 | 16,870 | 11,230-25,640 | At the embryo heartbeat appears |
| 6H + 1D | 43 | 20,480 | 13,750-30,880 | |
| 6H + 2D | 44 | 24,560 | 16,650-36,750 | Ultrasound shows an embryo |
| 6H + 3D | 45 | 29,110 | 19,910-43,220 | |
| 6H + 4D | 46 | 34,100 | 25,530-50,210 | |
| 6H + 5D | 47 | 39,460 | 27,470-57,640 | |
| 6H + 6D | 48 | 45,120 | 31,700-65,380 | |
| 7H | 49 | 50,970 | 36,130-73,280 | Fruit clearly viewed KTR 10 mm |
| 7H + 1D | 50 | 56,900 | 40,700-81,150 | |
| 7N + 2D | 51 | 62,760 | 45,300-88,790 | |
| 7N + 3D | 52 | 68,390 | 49,810-95,990 | |
| 7H + 4D | 53 | 73,640 | 54,120-102,540 | |
| 7N + 5D | 54 | 78,350 | 58,200-108,230 | |
| 7H + 6D | 55 | 82,370 | 61,640-112,870 | |
| 8H | 56 | 85,560 | 64,600-116,310 | KTR of the fetus 16 mm |
| 9-12 weeks | 25,700-288,000 | Formation ends organs and vital important fetal systems |
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| 13-16 weeks | 13,300-254,000 | |||
| 17-24 weeks | 4,060-165,400 | |||
| 25-40 weeks | 3,640-117,000 |
Causes of High HCG
Exceeding normal values \u200b\u200bis possible in the following cases:
- an error in determining the gestational age;
- diabetes;
- 2 or more fetuses develop in the uterus.
HCG during pregnancy with twins grows faster, that is, existing norms can be safely increased by 1.5-2 times;
- fetal malformations, including Down syndrome;
- prolonged pregnancy.
A frequent cause of high hCG during pregnancy is the use of drugs that are prescribed to stimulate ovulation (“Putril”, “Horagon”).
Re-analysis for hCG is carried out in the II trimester of pregnancy during the course of which, which allows to identify abnormalities of the fetus.
Only by the results of screening, Down syndrome and other defects are not confirmed, the woman simply falls into the risk group. For accurate diagnosis of pathology, other methods are used (
Diagnosis of pregnancy pathologies is not limited only to a blood test for hCG.
For the final diagnosis, additional research methods are used, in particular, ultrasound.
Increased hCG in the absence of pregnancy
Exceeding the permissible level of hCG in the blood of men and non-pregnant women most often signals the formation of a malignant tumor. An increase in hormone levels can be caused by the following factors:
- swelling of the testicles in men;
- cystic drift;
- malignant tumors of the genital organs, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys;
- the analysis gave up a short time after the abortion.
After an abortion or spontaneous abortion in the blood, hCG continues to be determined for some time. Normally, its value during pregnancy should decrease.
If hCG continues to increase, this indicates that the tissues of the membranes that continue to produce the hormone remain in the uterus.
In this case, the woman is shown curettage of the uterine cavity with subsequent monitoring of hCG and ultrasound.
Tracking the level of hCG during pregnancy will allow time to identify abnormalities in the development of pregnancy and determine the correct tactics for their elimination.
The decoding of blood tests for hCG needs to be entrusted to the doctor, because the norms are pretty arbitrary and the woman herself will not be able to read the result correctly.
