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hCG Levels | The American Pregnancy Association

HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) is often called the pregnancy hormone because it is made by cells formed in the placenta, which nourishes the egg after it has been fertilized and becomes attached to the uterine wall. Levels can first be detected by a blood test about 11 days after conception and about 12-14 days after conception by a urine test.

Typically, the hCG levels will double every 72 hours. The level will reach its peak in the first 8-11 weeks of pregnancy and then will decline and level off for the remainder of the pregnancy.

1. As you get further along in pregnancy and the hCG level gets higher, the time it takes to double can increase to about every 96 hours.
2. Caution must be used in making too much of hCG numbers. A normal pregnancy may have low hCG levels and result in a perfectly healthy baby. The results from an ultrasound after 5 -6 weeks gestation are much more accurate than using hCG numbers.
3. An hCG level of less than 5 mIU/mL is considered negative for pregnancy, and anything above 25 mIU/mL is considered positive for pregnancy.
4. An hCG level between 6 and 24 mIU/mL is considered a grey area, and you’ll likely need to be retested to see if your levels rise to confirm a pregnancy.
5. The hCG hormone is measured in milli-international units per milliliter (mIU/mL).
6. A transvaginal ultrasound should be able to show at least a gestational sac once the hCG levels have reached between 1,000 – 2,000 mIU/mL. Because levels can differentiate so much and conception dating can be wrong, a diagnosis should not be made by ultrasound findings until the hCG level has reached at least 2,000 mIU/mL.
7. A single reading is not enough information for most diagnoses. When there is a question regarding the health of the pregnancy, multiple testings of hCG done a couple of days apart give a more accurate assessment of the situation.
8. The hCG levels should not be used to date a pregnancy since these numbers can vary so widely.
9. There are two common types of hCG tests. A qualitative test detects if hCG is present in the blood. A quantitative test (or beta) measures the amount of hCG actually present in the blood.

Guideline to hCG levels in weeks during pregnancy

* These numbers are just a guideline – every woman’s level of hCG can rise differently. It is not necessarily the level that matters, but rather the change in the level.

What Does a Low hCG Level Mean?

A low hCG level can mean any number of things and should be rechecked within 48-72 hours to see how the level is changing. A low level can indicate:

• Miscalculation of pregnancy dating
• Possible miscarriage or blighted ovum
• Ectopic pregnancy

Is a High hCG Level a Bad Thing?

A high level of hCG can also mean a number of things and should be rechecked within 48-72 hours to evaluate changes in the level. A high level can indicate:

• Miscalculation of pregnancy dating
• Molar pregnancy
• Multiple pregnancies

Should I Check My hCG level Regularly?

It’s not common for doctors to routinely check your hCG levels unless you are showing signs of a potential problem.
A health care provider may recheck your levels if you are bleeding, experiencing severe cramping, or have a history of miscarriage.

What Can I Expect After a Pregnancy Loss?

Most women can expect their levels to return to a non-pregnant range about 4 – 6 weeks after a pregnancy loss has occurred.
This can differentiate by how the loss occurred (spontaneous miscarriage, D & C procedure, abortion, natural delivery) and how high the levels were at the time of the loss.
Healthcare providers usually will continue to test hCG levels after a pregnancy loss to ensure they return back to <5.0.

What Can Interfere With My hCG Levels?

If you get a positive test result, you are most likely pregnant. False positives are extremely rare. However, there are some conditions that may cause a false positive, such as certain types of cancer and early miscarriage. Some antibodies may also interfere with test results.

Medications that contain hCG may interfere with hCG levels, as well.

These medications are often used infertility treatments, and your health care provider should advise you on how they may affect a test.

All other medications such as antibiotics, pain relievers, contraception or other hormone medications should not have any effect on a test that measures hCG.

Want to Know More?

• Pregnancy Calculator
• Calculating Gestation Age
• Concerns Regarding Early Fetal Development

Compiled using information from the following sources:

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration

www.fda.gov

2. Bashir, I; Ihenetu, K; Miller, J.J.; Gim, M.; Lippmann, S. A Positive Pregnancy Test in the Post-Menopausal Psychiatric Patient — What to Think? Psychiatry (Edgemont). Feb. 2006.

Hormonal studies during pregnancy / Nyanya.ru

02/27/2012

Nona Hovsepyan, Consultant Physician, Independent Laboratory INVITRO

Why is it necessary to control the level of hormones?

Hormones are amazing biologically active substances that affect not only the state of health, but also the inner world of a person. Nature provides that in the female body immediately after conception, special pregnancy hormones are activated, which not only help the baby to fully develop, but also set up the expectant mother for the desired motherhood, teach them to love the baby growing inside and get used to taking care of him.

During the period of expectation of a baby, serious changes occur in the whole body of a woman, especially her hormonal levels. Changes occur throughout the endocrine system. The body of the future mother, completely rebuilding, creates the conditions for the bearing and normal development of the baby, and from the first days of pregnancy begins to prepare for childbirth.

All hormonal indicators of the future mother's body play a huge role - namely, they are the most important indicators of fetal development. Therefore, the level of hormones is necessarily monitored by the attending physician with the help of special examinations - prenatal screenings, which a woman needs to undergo at least 2 times: in the first trimester (11-12 weeks) and in the second trimester (16-19weeks). Let's figure out what indicators are included in this mandatory examination, what the increase or decrease in the level of a particular hormone indicates, and what their role is.

Hormones that the body of the unborn baby "produces"

HCG. This is human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone that is actively produced by the cells of the chorion (fetal membrane) immediately after it attaches to the wall of the uterus. The "production" of this hormone is vital for the preservation and maintenance of pregnancy! It is hCG that controls the production of the main pregnancy hormones - estrogen and progesterone. With a serious lack of hCG, the fertilized egg is detached from the uterus, and menstruation occurs again - in other words, a spontaneous miscarriage occurs. Normally, the concentration of hCG in the blood of the expectant mother is constantly growing, reaching a maximum by the 10-11th week of pregnancy, then the concentration of hCG gradually decreases to remain unchanged until the very birth.

Testing for hCG during pregnancy plays a huge role.

Firstly, an analysis of the level of hCG in the blood can confirm that you will become a mother already 5-6 days after conception. This is much earlier and, most importantly, much more reliable than using conventional rapid tests.

Secondly, the test is needed to determine the exact gestational age. Very often, the expectant mother cannot give the exact date of conception, or she calls it, but incorrectly. At the same time, certain indicators of growth and development correspond to each period, deviations from the norm may indicate the occurrence of complications.

Thirdly, the level of hCG in the blood can quite accurately “tell” whether your baby is developing correctly.

An unplanned increase in the level of hCG usually occurs with multiple pregnancy, preeclampsia, taking synthetic gestagens, diabetes in the expectant mother, and may also indicate some hereditary diseases in the baby (for example, Down's syndrome) and multiple malformations. An abnormally low level of hCG can be a sign of an ectopic and non-developing pregnancy, delayed fetal development, the threat of spontaneous abortion, and chronic placental insufficiency.

However, do not rush to sound the alarm: increased or decreased values ​​may also indicate that the gestational age was initially set incorrectly. Your doctor will help you interpret the test results correctly.

Placental lactogen and free estriol. Controlling the level of these hormones is extremely important for assessing the risk of developing hereditary chromosomal abnormalities in an unborn baby (these are Down, Edwards, Turner, Patau syndromes, neural tube defects, etc.)

Free estriol is "produced" by the placenta. This hormone improves blood flow through the vessels of the uterus, and also contributes to the development of the ducts of the mammary glands, preparing the body of the expectant mother to feed the baby. The level of free estriol changes in any pathological conditions:

• with fetoplacental insufficiency, when the normal blood flow and nutrition in the placenta changes;
• for fetal growth retardation;
• for suspected post-term pregnancy.

Placental lactogen (PL) is also “produced” by the placenta and can be detected in the blood of the expectant mother as early as 5-6 weeks of pregnancy. It reaches its maximum value by 37-38 weeks, then the hormone level gradually decreases. However, the level of PL must be monitored throughout the entire period of pregnancy - first of all, this is necessary to assess the condition of the placenta and timely diagnosis of placental insufficiency. A sharp decrease in the level of PL by more than 2 times (compared to the average level in accordance with the gestational age) may indicate a delay in fetal development. In this case, it is necessary to take emergency measures to prevent a decrease in the level of PL by 80 percent or more - this can lead to the death of the baby.

Pregnancy hormones

Estradiol and progesterone. Hormonal studies necessarily include tests for the level of progesterone and estradiol. It is they who take care of your unborn baby, maintaining the normal course of pregnancy, which is why they are called the main hormones of gestation (pregnancy).

Estradiol is produced by the ovaries and during pregnancy also by the placenta. During pregnancy, the level of the hormone rises sharply, and it is not surprising - estradiol is "responsible" for the normal course of pregnancy. In the early stages, the concentration of this hormone evaluates the functioning of the placenta. A decrease in the level of estradiol indicates a serious threat of abortion.

By the way, it is under the influence of this hormone that a woman feels a natural desire to “build a nest”, arrange everything and prepare for the birth of a baby. Before childbirth, the concentration of the hormone in the body of the expectant mother reaches its “peak”, which is also due to natural causes - estradiol, acting as the strongest natural pain reliever, helps to make the process of giving birth to a baby less painful.

Progesterone is also the main “pregnancy hormone”, the main task of which is to maintain pregnancy and create the necessary conditions for the development of the fetus. A normal level of progesterone is necessary for conception to occur. Together with estrogens, the hormone promotes the attachment of a fertilized egg to the endometrium and carefully reduces the increased tone of the uterus, preventing miscarriage. During the bearing of the baby, progesterone stimulates the growth and maturation of the mammary glands, “preparing” the body of the expectant mother for breastfeeding, and psychologically, it calms her down and morally supports her. Unfortunately, this hormone also has "side" effects that are familiar to every pregnant woman - this is increased drowsiness, nausea, frequent urination, soreness and swelling of the breast.

With a lack of progesterone, pregnancy can occur with serious complications. Hormone deficiency must be urgently replenished, otherwise the risk of non-developing pregnancy and miscarriage increases.

Important! Testing for estradiol and progesterone levels is carried out both during pregnancy and in preparation for the birth of a child, this is especially necessary in cases where a woman has already had a miscarriage.

Thyroid hormones

The normal functioning of the thyroid gland of the expectant mother plays an important role in the development of the baby. The corresponding hormones (TSH, T3 and T4) can also “tell” about the presence of hypo- or hyperfunction of the gland.

Maternity hormones

Pituitary hormones (an endocrine gland located in the hypothalamic part of the brain) also play an indispensable role while waiting for a baby. During childbirth, the pituitary gland releases the hormone oxytacin into the blood, which stimulates uterine contractions. And after childbirth, an active synthesis of the hormone prolactin begins, which is “responsible” for lactation. With a lack of prolactin, a woman simply would not be able to fully feed her baby with breast milk.

In addition, prolactin and oxytacin are also called "maternity hormones", because thanks to them, the mother's heart is filled with tenderness, she feels the pleasure of feeding and communicating with the child, which binds her to the baby even more. These hormones, in fact, provide a magical “transformation” of a woman into a mother - under their influence, priorities change dramatically, study, work, career and personal success fade into the background, and the main place in a woman’s heart is occupied by a small native creature. It is believed that the more a woman has these same "maternity hormones", the stronger her desire to constantly be with the baby, feel his warmth, take care of him. However, one should not expect that this “transformation” will happen as if by magic: normally, the level of hormones in a woman’s body changes gradually, so that her psyche has time to prepare for the changes without stress. The main thing during pregnancy is to make every effort to endure a strong and healthy baby.

Hormones during pregnancy: how does the female body change?

Nausea, chest pain, cravings for pickled cucumbers are all hormones. During pregnancy, you are under their strong influence.

How do they work? Until you became pregnant, most of the hormones in your body were produced by endocrine glands such as the thyroid gland. Now, many of them also form in the placenta, which is inside the uterus. Immediately after the birth of the baby, the placenta is excreted from the body and pregnancy hormones are no longer needed.

Hormones cause nausea during pregnancy.

The culprit is human chorionic gonadotropin , which is produced by the embryo and then by the placenta. It is the presence of this hormone in the urine that leads to a positive pregnancy test result. In addition, chorionic gonadotropin increases the production of another hormone, progesterone , and stops the menstrual cycle.

Feeling of happiness.

Endorphins - these hormones are your biggest allies. These are natural painkillers and calming hormones. They work like morphine. They are called happiness hormones because they are the reason you expect a baby with joy, regardless of nausea and other pregnancy ailments. The source of endorphins is in the brain, where they are produced until the end of labor. The highest concentration of endorphins at the time of childbirth. Thanks to them, the pain becomes weaker, and the stress associated with childbirth is not so tiring. After childbirth, the level of endorphins drops sharply. This is probably the cause of a mild form of postpartum depression.

Sexual attraction.

Estrogens , which affect your sex drive, are first produced by the ovaries and then by the placenta. Estrogen production rises rapidly at the beginning of pregnancy. Thanks to estrogen, you feel that the desire for intimacy in the first trimester of pregnancy increases. Estrogens increase the blood supply to the breasts, vagina, vulva, and clitoris, which become especially sensitive. It is interesting! Thanks to pregnancy hormones, sex in the second trimester of pregnancy can be the best in a lifetime, according to scientists!

They relax muscles and prevent spasms. This is the influence of one of the most important pregnancy hormones: progesterone . Before pregnancy, it was produced, like estrogens, by the ovaries, now this function has passed to the placenta. Progesterone is responsible for most of the changes in your body during pregnancy (including fever, increased breathing). It relaxes the smooth muscles of the uterus and protects against miscarriage.

Pregnancy hormones prepare you for childbirth.

Preparing for childbirth is the merit of relaxin . Under its influence, the joints of the pelvic bones relax, soften the cervix and increase the elasticity of the surrounding ligaments, so that your uterus will grow, and your child will be able to pass through the birth canal.

Labor spasms.

Prostaglandins and oxytocin are the hormones that most support the final stages of pregnancy. The rising level of oxytocin is responsible for the development of the maternal instinct. In the last trimester, you begin to feel uterine contractions stimulated by prostaglandins. If you have sex, you can speed up labor because prostaglandins are also found in male semen. Oxytocin stimulates predictive uterine contractions or Braxton-Hicks contractions and then the corresponding labor contractions. In some situations, it stimulates labor and accelerates the passage of the placenta.

Help in the first days after childbirth.

Two more hormones, prolactin and placental lactogen , will allow you to breastfeed your baby. Thanks to them, the breasts begin to secrete colostrum (the first very nutritious food that can be excreted as early as the 19th week of pregnancy). Your body will produce it within days of giving birth.

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