What does the analysis for hCG show and how to decipher it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

This test not only helps to establish pregnancy, but also to determine when something is wrong.

What is HCG

HCG is a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin that is only produced in a woman's body after a woman has become pregnant.

It is on hCG, which enters the urine, that popular pharmacy express pregnancy tests react.

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin levels begin to rise almost immediately after conception, as soon as the fertilized egg attaches Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) to the wall of the uterus. The larger it becomes, the more hormone the forming placenta releases into the blood.

HCG in the body of a pregnant woman grows rapidly approximately Urine hCG Level Test: Purpose, Procedure, and Risks until the 10th week of pregnancy. And then it decreases slightly, and after the final formation of the placenta (this occurs at 12-16 weeks), it remains at a more or less stable Human Chorionic Gonadotropin level until the very birth.

Soon after the birth of the baby, the amount of hCG in the body of a young mother drops to almost zero.

What are hCG tests?

There are two main types of Pregnancy Test (hCG) | Lab Tests Online HCG Research - Qualitative and Quantitative. Qualitative answers to the only question: is there chorionic gonadotropin in the body or not. Quantitative not only fixes hCG, but also determines how much of it.

A pregnant woman can do the hCG test in two ways.

Analysis of urine for hCG

This is always only qualitative research.

The methods may differ slightly, but most often the testing looks like this: the strip is placed under a stream of urine or immersed in a container with liquid. If there is hCG, after a few minutes a signal icon will appear on the test - a second strip or, for example, a plus sign.

It is express tests that are sold in pharmacies or supermarket checkouts. Sometimes such test systems can be wrong. To improve accuracy, you must strictly follow the instructions, and if the result is negative, it is advisable to repeat the procedure after a few days.

HCG blood test

It can be both qualitative and quantitative. This test is always done in a laboratory. The lab technician will draw some blood from the vein with a needle. Further, with the help of reagents, doctors will find out whether the sample contains hCG (qualitative version) and in what volume (quantitative).

Why do you need an analysis for hCG

Basically, the HCG test is a pregnancy test. If he fixed the hormone in the urine or blood, it means that fertilization has occurred and the woman is likely to become a mother soon.

However, this study is needed not only in order to confirm or exclude pregnancy. Having passed the quantitative test for hCG, you can find out the HCG blood test - quantitative - UCSF Health:

• The exact gestational age is up to a couple of days.
• Is the baby developing normally? For this, the analysis for hCG must be done regularly in order to track the growth in dynamics.
• Ectopic pregnancy.
• Has the pregnancy stopped?
• Until the end, whether artificial termination of pregnancy was carried out. This option can be important if a woman has decided to have an abortion.

How the hCG level changes by week of pregnancy

A blood test detects human chorionic gonadotropin approximately What is HCG? 11 days after conception. Urine analysis - after 12-14 days.

Pregnancy is confirmed if the hCG level is equal to or greater than 25 IU (international units) per milliliter of blood.

In the first weeks after conception, the amount of the hormone in a woman's body doubles in the range from 48 Understanding HCG Levels in Pregnancy to 72 What is HCG? hours. After the first trimester, the concentration of chorionic gonadotropin begins to decrease and it loses its diagnostic importance: now the condition of the fetus can be monitored using ultrasound.

Here are the average values of What is HCG? HCG, which indicate that early pregnancy is developing normally.

Pregnancy period, obstetric week	Normal hCG level, mU / ml
3	5–50
4	5–426
5	18–7 340
6	1 080–56 500
7–8	7 650–229 000
9–12	25 700–288 000
13–16	13 300–254 000
17–24	4 060–165 400

Normal ranges may vary slightly depending on the laboratory doing the analysis. Focus on the values that will be indicated in the research form.

What to do if your hCG level is higher or lower than normal

Consult a gynecologist supervising a pregnant woman.

If the hCG level exceeds normal values, this may indicate an HCG blood test - quantitative - UCSF Health, indicating one of the following:

• Multiple pregnancy. The woman may be carrying twins or triplets.
• Inaccuracy of Understanding HCG Levels in Determining Pregnancy. Perhaps the deadline is longer than expected.
• Molar pregnancy. This is the name of Molar Pregnancy, a pathological condition in which a defective egg, which cannot become an embryo, is implanted into the uterus and begins to grow, secreting hCG.
• Swelling of the placenta.
• Ovarian cancer.

The concentration of hCG below normal warns of such conditions:

• Ectopic pregnancy.
• Risk of miscarriage.
• Fetal death.