Throughout pregnancy, a woman has to undergo a variety of tests and undergo examinations many times. The initial test is blood for human chorionic gonadotropin. Using it, it is determined whether there is a pregnancy. If you look at the results in dynamics, you can note some pathologies and abnormalities in the development of the fetus. The results of this analysis guide the doctor and outline pregnancy management tactics. This article will focus on low hCG during pregnancy. What does this mean, how to take an analysis, and what are the norms? Can there be low hCG during normal pregnancy or is this clear evidence of abnormalities?
A brief description of hCG
Chorionic gonadotropin refers to a specific hormone, which in the body of a healthy person, regardless of gender and age, ranges from 0 to 5. If a person is diagnosed with a tumor, the level of the hormone will exceed the norm.
From the moment of pregnancy, the indicator will constantly increase and change depending on the term. From the moment the fertilized cell attaches to the uterine wall, the development of the placenta begins, which helps to increase the level of the hormone in the blood. There are two units in the composition of hCG, these are alpha and beta. The first is not unique, it looks like thyroid-stimulating hormone. The second is special, it is inherent only in the hormone hCG. It is her quantitative indicator that is reflected in the results of a blood test, and it is she who affects the appearance of a second strip in a pregnancy test.
An increase in hCG levels in women, as noted earlier, may be evidence of pregnancy. But even in this case, their indicative norms are established, the excess of which indicates the threat of various diseases. This is diabetes mellitus, a tumor, and more. Low hCG during pregnancy also indicates abnormalities that threaten the life of not only the baby, but also the mother. Define the types of hormone tests.
Varieties of hCG tests
In medicine, there are two main types of tests - this is the general hCG and the detection of free beta-hCG.
- General analysis for hCG is used in the early days of pregnancy, when it is necessary to confirm the act of fertilization and implantation. If the period of bearing a child proceeds normally and there are no pathologies, then the level of the hormone increases 2 times daily until the 11th week. After this moment, the concentration gradually decreases, but not sharply. Also, a general analysis is done as part of the prenatal triple or quadruple tests, which identify the risk group and determine at the 2nd trimester what threats are for the baby and the expectant mother. Here it is just determined whether there is a high or low hCG during pregnancy. What pathologies can be predicted, how to clarify them?
- Analysis for free beta-hCG. This type of analysis is used in the detection and study of various kinds of formations. For example, testicular cancer, cystic drift and others. During pregnancy, it is also done as part of screening in the first and second trimesters. Indicators can diagnose Down, Edwards syndrome in a child. If the test result is positive, then the woman is at risk, but this is not one hundred percent confidence that she has diseases. A number of studies are needed. As a general rule, women give such an analysis at the 8-12th, 16-20th weeks of pregnancy. There are special indications - age over thirty-five years, the presence of Down's disease in relatives, positive results of a test passed earlier.
The most common test for hCG is a blood test, it is it that most clearly and accurately reflects the concentration of the hormone in the body. It is also possible to pass urine to a hormone, this method is used for home diagnostics of pregnancy (two-strip test). When registering, a woman also gives urine for a concentration of the hormone, but you need to remember that such material will show low hCG during pregnancy. Indeed, the element passes from blood to urine slowly; a blood test in which a hormone is formed and transferred will be much more accurate.
When to take an analysis for hCG
Blood tests for hormone in women are given under the following conditions:
- the need for accurate diagnosis of pregnancy;
- prolonged delay of menstruation, the cause of which are dysfunctions of the ovaries, stress, poisoning, infectious diseases and other deviations from the norm;
- suspicion of the appearance and development of tumors, as well as monitoring a woman after an illness of this kind (neoplasm).
At the beginning of pregnancy, a woman passes a dynamic analysis to determine low hCG during pregnancy in the early stages or, conversely, increased? As a result, many diseases and abnormalities are diagnosed and prevented. Throughout pregnancy, even a healthy woman regularly tests. This is called prenatal screening in the complex, which is carried out in the 1st and 2nd trimester.
Rules for Submission of Analysis
Now let's move on to how to take an analysis for hCG. We will consider a blood test, since it is the most informative and relevant. Define the basic rules of delivery.
- Regardless of whether this is a general analysis or free, blood must be donated from a vein. It is venous blood that will show the most accurate result.
- 10 hours before blood donation, you need to refuse food, that is, take an analysis on an empty stomach. If a woman takes any medications during the test, you need to tell the expert about this in order to exclude errors in the results.
- To calculate the gestational age, you should take the first analysis on the 4th-5th day from the time of delayed menstruation. After 2-3 days, you can re-submit it and see the results in dynamics. Already here it will be seen whether there is a low level of hCG in the early stages of pregnancy or if there are no abnormalities, and pregnancy is proceeding normally.
- After medical curettage or abortion, a blood test for hCG is also given. It is advisable to do this a couple of days after the operation. If the remains of the fetal egg are preserved in the body of a woman, then the level of hCG will be above normal.
Having passed the tests correctly, you can safely wait for the results. Deciphering them is the exclusive competence of the doctor. We give only the standards of indicators, even a healthy woman may have deviations from them in one direction or another. Low hCG during pregnancy in the early stages may not actually be such, be sure to consult a specialist, you can not be based only on the data that are offered. This is due not only to the individual characteristics of the woman’s body, but also to the fact that each laboratory sets its own standards and makes analyzes in its own way, which affects the results. Therefore, it is better to request a consultation in the clinic in which the tests were submitted.
Deciphering the results
The hCG level is individual, self-decryption is indicative and 100% cannot be relied on. If you find that you have a low level of hCG in the early stages of pregnancy, consult a doctor and consult with him. So, we consider the norms of indicators that are set as standards.
- The first week of pregnancy is from 20 to 150 mU per ml.
- 2-3 weeks are characterized by a range from 100 to 4870 units.
- 4th week of pregnancy - 1110 - 31500 units.
- 5th week - from 2560 to 82,300 units.
- At the 6th week of pregnancy, the level ranges from 23,100 to 151,000 units;
- 7th week - from 27300 to 233000 units.
- From the 8th to the 11th week, indicators can be from 20,900 to 291,000 units. This is the highest hormone.
- 12-16 weeks show a gradual decrease in concentration, it can reach 6150 - 103000 mU per ml.
- From the 17th to the 21st week, indicators are further reduced - to 4720 - 80 100.
- At the 22nd - 39th weeks - from 2700 to 78100.
Recall that you do not have to rush to diagnose your hCG below normal during pregnancy. You must consult a doctor and ask him all your questions. In addition, any deviation is accompanied by a complex of symptoms, and not just blood results.
Causes of Low HCG in Early Pregnancy
In medicine, there are several key phenomena that can lead to significantly lower levels of the hormone in the blood. These primarily include:
- The threat of self-termination of pregnancy.
- Fetal freezing.
- Ectopic pregnancy.
- Pathology in the development of the fetus.
If a low level is observed at the end of the period of bearing a child, then this indicates an overtaking. In this case, it is better to turn to medicines that can cause labor.
The main thing is not to draw hasty conclusions. First of all, you need to see a doctor, undergo additional studies, to clarify the reason for the decrease in hormone levels. In most cases, an ultrasound is prescribed to analyze the condition of the child and mother. Sometimes the reasons for low hCG during pregnancy are incorrect calculation of the gestational age, untimely research, as well as errors in the work of experts.
Ectopic pregnancy
Upon receipt of the test results, the first cause of a lowered level of the hormone is an ectopic pregnancy. It lies in the fact that the fertilized egg does not attach to the wall of the uterus, as it should be, but to the ovary or tube. Therefore, at a certain stage, the cell development process stops and a gap occurs. This is fatal for a woman. For diagnosis, an additional study is prescribed - for example, ultrasound. There is also no dynamics in the analyzes - a constantly low hCG is detected during pregnancy in the early stages. With a healthy development of the embryo, the hormone increases daily by 2 times, in the presence of pathology, an increase of 2 times occurs within a week. Because of this, a pregnancy test shows a barely noticeable second strip.
Fetal freeze and miscarriage
This phenomenon is also called regressive pregnancy. With her, in the first days and weeks of bearing a child, the level of the hormone constantly increases, everything goes in accordance with the established norms. At a certain point, the indicator stops abruptly and growth stops. This indicates a fetal freeze or rejection of a fertilized cell by the woman’s body, which leads to a miscarriage.
The cessation of dynamic growth indicators in most cases indicate the presence of pathology. If hCG suddenly stops increasing or begins to fall, this indicates the cessation of embryo life. At home, you can also check this phenomenon - by conducting a pregnancy test. The result will be negative, although previously the test showed two bars.
Pathologies in development
In this case, the growth of the hormone will be observed, but it will not be as bright and fast as in a healthy pregnancy. With placental genetic failure, a lowered level of hCG. In addition, a low level of the hormone indicates a violation of blood circulation between the mother and the child. Let's pay attention - there is no need to panic, make hasty conclusions and wonder what to do with low hCG during pregnancy? The doctor always evaluates all the signs in the complex, prescribes additional tests, studies, thanks to which you can accurately determine the presence of diseases and pathologies.
HCG and IVF
The success of the protocol is displayed in the blood results of a woman on hCG. This is the first analysis that a woman gives after the procedure. As a general rule, it is passed on the fourteenth day from the moment of cell transfer. An increase in the level of the hormone indicates the onset of pregnancy, everything happens the same way as with a natural conception.
In the case of IVF, low hCG during pregnancy indicates an ectopic pregnancy. Of course, risks are minimized, but still the probability remains. Despite the fact that the cells are introduced into the uterus of a woman, until they are implanted, they can move, which means that there is a chance of attachment to the ovaries. Diagnosis of an ectopic pregnancy requires urgent treatment and emergency measures.
Keeping a low hormone pregnancy
A good pregnancy with low hCG is possible, it all depends on the degree of deviation from the norm, as well as on the reason why this happened. Bearing a child in this case can be complicated, but still possible. But there are cases when surgical intervention and removal of a fertilized cell from a woman’s body is vital - an ectopic pregnancy and fetal freezing. Otherwise, it may cost the patient's life.
When the causes of low hCG are other factors that do not pose a serious danger to a woman's life, the doctor builds an individual pregnancy plan. The hormone level is analyzed in a hospital mode, doctors use a variety of measures aimed at stabilizing the situation. There is a whole range of drugs with which they increase the level of the hormone to the necessary level. In this case, a successful pregnancy and low hCG are compatible concepts that do not pose a threat to the life and health of the expectant mother. This is especially important when using the IVF procedure. If, after treatment and therapy, the level of hCG has returned to normal and is no longer decreasing, then the chances of bearing a healthy child have increased significantly and there is no longer any threat.
The opinion of experts
When receiving blood results with a lowered level of hCG, a woman needs to go for a consultation with a gynecologist. Many doctors, having not found any deviations during additional studies and in the absence of symptoms, are referred for consultation with a geneticist.
Most geneticists and gynecologists say that you can maintain a pregnancy and have a healthy baby with low hCG, you just need to choose pregnancy management tactics. Also, a monthly complex of tests is given, with the help of which genetic mutations and pathologies in the development of the child are excluded. In more detail, it is necessary to study the placenta and its work, functionality. In most cases, a lowered level of the hormone indicates abnormalities in her work. The main thing is not to worry, to be objective in assessing your well-being, to adequately assess your state of health.