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Thursday, May 30, 2013

Can the level of HCG in blood tell me whether my pregnancy is a healthy one or not ?



Yes – but only to a certain extent.  The HCG ( human chorionic gonadotropin) hormone is a remarkable molecule which is very unusual because it is produced only by the cells that will become the placenta of the developing embryo (trophoblast cells). Once the embryo implants in the uterine lining, these cells start producing HCG . It takes a few days for the HCG hormone to build up in the body to a level, which is high enough for it be detected in the blood or urine of pregnant women. Normally, you do your first pregnancy test (HCG blood test) 14 days after embryo transfer.  At this point, if the embryo has implanted, you will also get a positive urine pregnancy test. The HCG hormone level in the blood doubles every 48-72 h. If the HCG level doubles well, this indicates that the cells of the embryo are dividing well , suggesting that the pregnancy is progressing normally and is healthy.  This is why monitoring the HCG blood levels during the first few weeks  helps to make sure that the pregnancy is advancing as expected. A drop in HCG level during this time is a sign that the pregnancy is not healthy.  Make sure that you measure your HCG level in the same lab each time to avoid discrepancy in the results.

However, do remember that because the HCG is produced by the trophoblastic cells of the embryo, just because the level is rising well does not always mean that the pregnancy is healthy. Thus, while a drop in HCG confirms the pregnancy is doomed, a rising HCG level provides limited information. 

Also, once the HCG level crosses 1000 mIU/ml, a vaginal ultrasound scan provides much more useful information than just the HCG levels,  because it allows us to actually visualize the development of the growing embryo. 

24 comments:

  1. Hello i Just wanted tot ask you samenhang in am 6 Day before my menstruation and i have 18hcg is Thatcher a good number??? What do you think?

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  2. I have 18 hcg 6Day before my menstruation is that oké????

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    1. Ofcourse that is a good number. I would ask you to wait until the date of your menstruation and test again. Please wait ! I wish you good luck ! Let me know what the results are.

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  3. Tomorrow is my date of menstruation and i am scared shitless. We where finally getting ons with our lives after we lost our first baby at 10 weeks. Ik have so mutch fear. The tests are getting darker so i guess that is good

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    1. Don't worry. It is not worth fearing the unknown. I will pray that all should be well. How old are you ? Is it an IVF pregnancy ? What is the reason for IVF ?

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  4. hey i'm 26 years. and it is not an ivf pregnancy nether was the previous one. the problem in my case is not that i can't get pregnant they just don't stick. so i went too a alternative doctor here in belgium because i don't have the feeling that anyone is helping me here there just saying it's a fling of nature.
    i'm so desperate because it's not the first one it was the 2 or maybe even 3th. so i went to the doctor that does iriscopie. she saw that i had a problem in my liver. apparently my estrogen that i had from taking 13 years my birth control did not leave my body, so my liver did not extract this from my body. so all that estrogen stayed in my body and normally my progesterone would prevent my uterus from contracting but because i have higher levels of estrogen that does not happen. so i'm actually rejecting my babies. now i have got some medicine to clear my liver but i still have to see if it will work.
    you ex plane everything so beautifully and very clear!!! thank you !!!! you eased my mind :)

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    1. First, thank you so much for the appreciation ! :)

      I can explain scientifically what your alternative medicine practitioner told you, before that will you answer some of my questions :

      Are you overweight or underweight ?
      Does diabetes run in your family ?
      Have you been diagnosed with PCOD anytime ?
      Did all the miscarriages happen before 12 weeks ?
      Is your thyroid normal ?

      Please answer these questions ! Might be I can help you.

      Love,
      Manju

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    2. my BMI is currently 21.5 (i'm 1m70 and a weight of somewhere around 62) so in not really underdweight.
      we have no history of diabetes in our family
      no i have not been diagnosed with PCOD (the lady doc did an ultrasound of my ovarys after my miscarriage because i wanted to know if there was an new egg apparently it looked normal)

      yes they where before 12 weeks the most severe one whas 10 weeks the hart just stopt beating. the week before everything was oke she said that everything was oke the baby was perfect there was nothing abnormal about the way it had implanted. that is also why i had too take medication to get it out because it was nothing to do with the way it had implanted

      and yes my thyroid is normal i have not had any problems with that.


      thanks you really are a gift for allot of women how are very insecure. you may not realize but what you do here is so important.!!! in belgium we have no real support for when things lik this happen nobody really wants anything to do with this so they just say that you should stop making a scene about it and move on. we have a lot of women on facebook that are in a group we just have to support each other.

      greets and hugs !!!

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    3. i know and i realize that this could be just bad luck but the fact of the matter is that everybody just assumes that it is what it is without running any tests!!!! it's just crazy there just shoving you aside. i'm not really keen on waiting for this emotional en mental disaster to repeat it's self. the doctor also said that i just have a weaker liver and that that is the reason that it's not capable of doing it himself. After i asked mu mom and she told me that that is something that runs in her side of the family the weak liver. so i guess it is just a matter of getting it cleaned up

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    4. Only one more question, do you know your day 3 FSH and e2 value or your AMH value ?

      I understand your frustration but most doctors start to treat a miscarriage seriously only after 3 consecutive m/c. For a mother m/c is such a heart breaking happening and the emotional scar and fear it creates is enormous.

      I sincerely wish this little one will arrive safe in your hands. You are most welcome to share with me your fears if it makes you feel better.

      (((((Hugs)))))

      Prayers for the little bean which is growing with you. All will be well !

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    5. Hi!

      I was reading through this thread as I just got a positive pregnancy test Friday (14dpiui) and from the hcg levels it looks as though this will be my 4th early loss (hcg 18 on Friday, 19 on Sunday)... I saw that you had asked some questions to a woman who also had recurrent pregnancy loss (above), and was wondering why you asked that and what it might mean? In response to those questions, if it is helpful, I am overweight and my father is diabetic. All of my losses have been before 7 weeks. My thyroid is normal. The RE has run many tests on me, and found that my eggs are good quality and my husband and I do not have chromosomal translocations. I do have the MTHFR defect, though was told that it's debatable whether that actually has any impact. I take methylfolate now. I also was weakly positive for the lupus anticoagulant so they have me on baby asprin. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

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    6. How old are you ?

      Are you insulin resistant ? Were you diagnosed with PCOD ?

      Women with PCOD and high insulin levels , find it difficult to carry a pregnancy , they suffer from recurrent m/c s. Have you been on metformin anytime ?

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  5. i have no idea about FSH or AMH !! yes i hope so too

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  6. Dear Manju

    Thank you so much for being here for all of us. I've been reading your blog for a while now.

    I'm in 2WW time, tomorrow will be 14th day after 5 days FET. 2 perfectly normal chromosomal blastocysts are inside me.

    The doctor scheduled the BhCG test on day 14th (tomorrow) however, I'm a bit impatient and started HPT since day 7th after transferred(first morning urine)....It was a fainted line. :-)

    Since then, I've been keeping track of HPT every single day.

    It's a bit strange that the faint line hasn't became significant darker from 10th-13th after transferred. On those 3 days, the line stay quite the same darkness.

    What do you think?

    On day 9th after transferred, I decided to check my BhCG at a private lab (I know I shouldn't ,guilty as charge)

    But, the beta was 103.8. I'm pregnant !!!

    However, on day 11th after transferred, BhCG was only 133!!!!!

    My question is, should the beta on day 11th be doubled of day 9th?

    The beta number is higher but not double, I'm very worry that one of my embryo is stop growing?

    Thank you so much

    Mia


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    1. Dear Mia,

      I understand your concern. There can be many reasons for it, not necessarily this indicates that your pregnancy is in trouble.

      Hcg can stall and then rise again. There are no clear reasons for it. Might be still the implantation is going on. Just be patient and test again. As you said, might be both embryos implanted and only one took. This could be the reason too.

      I have seen so many not so optimal doubling hcg leading to good outcome. I know it is not hard to obsess about the numbers. Don't repeat the hcg every 48h. Wait for 5 days and take another test.

      I am sure all will be well. Will keep you in my prayers.

      Keep me updated.

      Manju

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    2. And Mia, for me afternoon urine has the highest concentration of hcg. Try it !

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    3. Dear Manju,

      Thank you so much for your support and warm welcome. Finally the next beta is tested, 14 days after the embryo transferred (as the doctor scheduled)
      And the number is ..........139.

      9dp5dt bhcg 103.8
      11dp5dt bhcg 133
      14dp5dt bhcg 139

      Well well well, I'm so shocked and confused.

      The doctor is very concerning as well, he is suspecting either ectopic pregnancy or blighted ovum. The next bhcg is now scheduled in 48 hours and he hopes to see 60% increase.

      My husband and I had a cry out night together, I guess we needed it.

      I must confess that I spend a lot of time reading your blog especially "a letter to my embryos" I cry every time I read it. it comforts me and keeps my faith strong.

      I will keep you posted.

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    4. I totally understand how you might feel now (((( hugs)))) Crying helps a lot at such times, do not worry, all this will pass and I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

      Mia, still it can lead to a good outcome but I agree it is worrisome. I wish you all the luck in the world !

      I just wish that your embie still trying to snuggle in comfortably and it succeeds. On what meds are you on, may I know please !

      Manju

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  7. Dear, Manju,

    It's over now! bhcg is morning is 80, the doctor asked to stop all the medication and waiting for the period. The doctor called it "spontaneous miscarriage" I was pregnant for 14 days, I guess.

    It was my 2nd cycle of IVF therefore, I'm kind of immune to the failure(maybe just numb!). In fact, me and hubby were already had our cry out since the beta is increase by 10% after 72 hours.

    here is my TTC time line

    July-December 2012 : 2 IUI : both fail

    January 2013 : 1st IVF cycle : 19 eggs retrieved, 13 mature, 6 IVF fertilized. 1 lost in the lab.
    : 2 blastocyst fresh ET>>> bhcg 58 at 14 days post transfer>>> bhcg <5
    at 16 days post transfer.

    May 2013 : 2 blastocyst FET >>>bhcg 38 14 days post transfer >>> bhcg <5
    16 days post transfer.

    December 2013 : 1 blastocyst FET, bhcg <5 14 days post transfer.

    I blamed myself and believe that my uterus was damaged because I had an abortion when I was 17 (now I'm 34) therefore, before start the 2nd of IVF, the doctor perform Hysteroscopy BUT everything is absolutely normal.

    March 2014 (new doctor) : 2nd IVF cycle : ICSI, Testicular sperm extraction (TESE), 13 eggs retrieved, 6 mature, 4 ICSI fertilized, 2 male normal chromosome (PGD method), 1 grade A, 1 grade B

    May 2014 : 2 blastocyst FET

    9dp5dt bhcg 103.8
    11dp5dt bhcg 133
    14dp5dt bhcg 139
    16dp5dt bhcg 80

    My doctor is very compassionate, she told me that now it's all came down to the egg quality. I thought normal chromosome, 9.8 mm of endometrium lining and good quality embryo ( A and B ) are enough but it wasn't the case.

    The only question I have now are, why it failed this time? what did I miss? what can I do better next time?

    I was a mother for 14 days.




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  8. Dear, Manju,

    It's over now! bhcg is morning is 80, the doctor asked to stop all the medication and waiting for the period. The doctor called it "spontaneous miscarriage" I was pregnant for 14 days, I guess.

    It was my 2nd cycle of IVF therefore, I'm kind of immune to the failure(maybe just numb!). In fact, me and hubby were already had our cry out since the beta is increase by 10% after 72 hours.

    here is my TTC time line

    July-December 2012 : 2 IUI : both fail

    January 2013 : 1st IVF cycle : 19 eggs retrieved, 13 mature, 6 IVF fertilized. 1 lost in the lab.
    : 2 blastocyst fresh ET>>> bhcg 58 at 14 days post transfer>>> bhcg <5
    at 16 days post transfer.

    May 2013 : 2 blastocyst FET >>>bhcg 38 14 days post transfer >>> bhcg <5
    16 days post transfer.

    December 2013 : 1 blastocyst FET, bhcg <5 14 days post transfer.

    I blamed myself and believe that my uterus was damaged because I had an abortion when I was 17 (now I'm 34) therefore, before start the 2nd of IVF, the doctor perform Hysteroscopy BUT everything is absolutely normal.

    March 2014 (new doctor) : 2nd IVF cycle : ICSI, Testicular sperm extraction (TESE), 13 eggs retrieved, 6 mature, 4 ICSI fertilized, 2 male normal chromosome (PGD method), 1 grade A, 1 grade B

    May 2014 : 2 blastocyst FET

    9dp5dt bhcg 103.8
    11dp5dt bhcg 133
    14dp5dt bhcg 139
    16dp5dt bhcg 80

    My doctor is very compassionate, she told me that now it's all came down to the egg quality. I thought normal chromosome, 9.8 mm of endometrium lining and good quality embryo ( A and B ) are enough but it wasn't the case.

    The only question I have now are, why it failed this time? what did I miss? what can I do better next time?

    I was a mother for 14 days.

    Mia




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    1. Dear Mia,

      I know it hurts, I have gone through lot such failures. So I can feel how you feel now. I am sure you both are very strong and I wish you both lots of good luck ! May all your dreams come true !

      Can I ask you some questions Mia ?

      What is your AMH value ? Hopefully it is good enough since you produce good amount of eggs.

      Who advised to do PGD ? It was clearly shown that PGD actually doesn't improve the chance of success. It even hinders it.

      Please do not feel guilty about the m/c you had to undergo at 17. I am sure that's the best decision at that age. If you think it is what is preventing you from conceiving, I will give you an example to show why your guilty feeling is not valid : In India female foeticide is prevalent in some parts. The place I come from is notorious for that. I know a woman who gave birth to beautiful babies and the female babies invariably died after birth ( actually killed !). That woman was super fertile, had more than 7 children :)

      Mia, you had lots of eggs but only a few were mature, is your doctor doing the job of ovarian stimulation correctly ? Did you ask an explanation for that ?

      In your husband's family does anybody else suffer from infertility, his siblings ? Reason for TESE ? Any incidence of cancer in his family ?

      Mia, your embryos are going to the blastocyst stage and it's great. How about trying day 3 transfer instead of day 5 next time ? How good is your clinic success rate ?

      Manju

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    2. You are ofcourse a wonderful mom ((((hugs))))

      There are no easy answers Mia for your questions. Can I know what meds were you on ?

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  9. Hi Manju,

    Just had a positive HPT.My LMP was 30/04/2014. HCG value on 16th june is 1276. I have no idea about my ovulation day but have long cycles of 32 days and more.I have had 3 miscarriages(before 8 wks each time) .So just wanted to know if the HCG looks ok this time given my past history.

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    1. It is very hard to interpret anything now because your ovulation day is not clear. Can you please repeat blood hcg measurement test again ? If it doubles in 72h then the chance of having a viable pregnancy is high. Can I ask you some more info ? Do you have PCOD ? Is your BMI high ? Did doctors test your after the third miscarriage ? Did they find any reason ? How old are you ? If you are comfortable please do write to me and I wish you lots of good luck ! I sincerely hope that this baby will be a take home baby for you.

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Please do write to me! It makes me happy :)