If during pregnancy there are suspicions of impaired fetal development, the doctor urgently prescribes the definition of this hormone. Why does the determination of what is the level of hCG during a frozen pregnancy play such a role in determining the diagnosis? Let's see what this indicator is and why it is given such importance.
The production of this hormone begins from the moment the fertilized fetal egg enters the uterine wall. The hormone is produced by the membrane of the fetal egg, or chorion. Its role is to enhance the production of progesterone - the main hormone responsible for the development of the fetus. It is known that the hCG content during a frozen pregnancy ceases to increase and even decreases compared to what it was during its normal development. But before talking about this, let's see how generally the level of the hormone changes during the course of a normal pregnancy.
Well-known home tests for determining pregnancy are based on the determination of hCG. The hormone rises to a level that gives a positive result on the test strip, already in the period from the third to the fifth day from the delay of menstruation. The appearance of the hormone in the urine is preceded by its increase in the blood. The norms of the hormone in the blood can be different in different laboratories, so it’s better not to dwell on specific numbers, they may differ. The interpretation of the indicators is best entrusted to a doctor or laboratory assistant, especially if hCG is determined during a frozen pregnancy.
With a normally developing pregnancy, the level of the hormone in the blood and urine is constantly increasing. It can be determined already 8-14 days after conception. Starting from the third week of pregnancy, hCG grows especially rapidly, doubling every two days. From 12 to 22 weeks, its growth rate slows down. From the second half of pregnancy, the hormone again increases, but already more slowly. Doctors are always worried about the slower growth of hCG compared to normal. With a frozen pregnancy, this forces you to resort to ultrasound and other studies.
Violations during the development of the fetus are associated with various reasons. First of all, these are genetic disorders of the fetus, then hormonal and autoimmune disorders in the body of a pregnant woman. Viral infections, especially flu, genital infections, various toxic effects (alcohol, smoking, drugs) can be the cause of a missed pregnancy. The fetus is especially susceptible to harmful effects at 8 weeks of development. Regardless of what causes the violation, hCG in a dead pregnancy ceases to increase. Then its level begins to decrease.
It must be determined in the blood. This is due to the fact that the level of the hormone in the urine for several days (from 5 to 7) can remain unchanged. The test will be positive, that is, we will see two stripes on it.
Blood should be donated to an empty stomach in the morning. On the day before the blood test, physical activity should be excluded. If a woman takes hormonal drugs, she should tell her doctor and laboratory assistant about this.
The doctor compares the value of hCG in a frozen pregnancy with the indicator that was with the previous blood donation. Knowing it, you can calculate what the level of the hormone should be at the moment. This explains why this study is so often prescribed even during normal pregnancy. A hCG test becomes negative only after a complete detachment of the fetal egg. Sometimes the hormone is determined in small quantities in the period up to 2 weeks after detachment.
If there was a frozen pregnancy, this does not mean that the woman cannot have children at all. At the next pregnancy, a healthy baby may well be born. This is proven by obstetric practice. Just for the next pregnancy, a woman should be better prepared, give rest to her body, pay increased attention to her health. Be calm and confident, and you will succeed!