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.
Read more at : http://www.drmalpani.com/hcg.htm
