![]() What causes low hCG levels? Miscalculated gestational ageĪ common reason for low hCG levels is a miscalculated gestational age. One study has even shown that an hCG rise of at least 35% can still be considered normal. It is worth keeping in mind that slow rising hCG levels occur in around 15% of pregnancies that continue without complications. Your doctor will usually be more interested in the rate at which your hCG levels are rising.Ī healthy pregnancy is usually based on an hCG increase of 66% or more over two days. If your hCG levels are lower than expected, it is not necessarily a cause for concern. How common is low hCG in early pregnancy? To do this serial hCG measurements will be made two to three days apart. Given the wide range of normal hCG values your doctor will often find it more useful to check the doubling time of your hCG levels. If your doctor has cause for concern monitoring hCG levels can be a useful way to check your pregnancy is progressing normally.Ī single hCG test may be used to see if your levels are within the expected range for the stage of your pregnancy. HCG levels are not routinely tested during pregnancy. hCG-βcf prevents the pregnancy test from detecting the original intact hCG resulting in a false negative result. Later in pregnancy levels of another type of hCG called hCG-βcf can increase. Pregnancy tests work by detecting a specific type of hCG known as intact hCG. Testing later in pregnancy, however, can lead to a false negative result due to a phenomenon called the hook effect. Testing too early (before 12 days past ovulation) could mean that hCG levels are too low to be detected or result in a faint line on the pregnancy test. It is important to consider the varying levels of hCG during pregnancy when taking a pregnancy test. The higher levels of hCG in the first trimester are the reason women often experience more intense pregnancy symptoms in early pregnancy. After this hCG levels decrease and remain stable at approximately 20,000 mIU/ml for the remainder of pregnancy. The rate of increase then slows further and hCG levels reach a peak of around 100,000 mIU/ml by week 10. From weeks five to six the doubling time slows to 48 – 72 hours. In a healthy pregnancy, levels of hCG double every 24 – 48 hours during the first three to five weeks. Immediately after implantation hCG levels are very low. hCG levels are measured in milli-international units of hCG hormone per milliliter of blood (mIU/ml). The table below gives a guideline as to the normal range of hCG levels during each week of pregnancy. As your pregnancy progresses the placenta grows in size leading to increasing levels of hCG. Low levels of hCG can be detected in your blood serum as soon as implantation is complete. Women can even experience a considerable difference in hCG levels from one pregnancy to the next. Normal levels of hCG vary widely between women. ![]() What are normal hCG levels in early pregnancy? Pregnancy tests work by detecting the presence of hCG in your urine. The hormone stimulates the production of progesterone by the corpus luteum to maintain the pregnancy. After implantation of the embryo the placenta begins to produce increasing amounts of hCG. HCG is a hormone produced by the cells of the placenta during pregnancy. Normal hCG levels can vary enormously between women and low hCG levels are not always a cause for concern. If you have been told you have low hCG levels you may be worried about what this means for your pregnancy. ![]()
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