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From what day does the hCG hormone begin to be produced. HCG pregnancy hormone. Results and interpretation

Determining the level of hCG in women during the period of gestation is one of the most basic tests that are performed to determine pregnancy. In the medical field, hCG stands for human chorionic gonadotropin. Such a hormone is secreted most often in women, as it is the main indicator that the female representative is in an interesting position.

Many are interested in when hCG appears in the urine during pregnancy? Such a hormonal protein is produced by the embryo, and in the analyzes it can be detected in the first week of pregnancy. The tests that a woman conducts to determine her position just react to the chorion. If the hormone is present in the urine, the test will show a positive result, and the color intensity of the test strip can give a rough idea of ​​the gestational age. It happens in this way - the brighter the strip, the more time has passed since conception.

Chorion is responsible for the development of the embryo, the course of pregnancy, blocking menstrual cycle and activation of other substances in the body necessary for the normal course of this process- estrogen and progesterone.

The concentration of the hormone increases with every day of fetal formation, and the analysis can give an accurate result before the delay of menstruation begins. Thanks to this, you can monitor the level of hCG in the urine by day. The level of chorion can be determined by analysis of not only urine, but also blood. Monitoring the level of protein is necessary so that the doctor can control the course of pregnancy and the development of the fetus.

In order to find out how soon hCG is excreted from the urine, you need to consult a doctor, but in most cases this happens a week after childbirth, less often after two.

What is the chorion for?

Since the chorion is formed during such a crucial period in the life of each representative of the weaker sex, it is intended not only for the normal course of such a process, but also performs a number of functions:

  1. stimulates the body to produce a temporary hormone - progesterone;
  2. forms the placenta. This hormone stimulates the temporary corpus luteum ovary, and the chorion transforms into the placenta, which begins to produce estrogen;
  3. prevents the body of the future mother from rejecting the embryo;
  4. activates the formation of testosterone in the male fetus;
  5. has an important effect on the immune system.

Chorion can be found in the urine not only in a pregnant woman, but also in a healthy woman and in males. When hCG appears in the urine of such people, this indicates the formation of an oncological tumor.

HCG analysis

As mentioned above, a hormone test can be done independently at home. To do this, it is necessary to collect only morning urine in a clean and dry container, and the first stream must be flushed down the toilet. A few days before the procedure, it is necessary to exclude the use of alcoholic beverages and diuretics. If necessary, reduce fluid intake, the volume of which should not be more than two liters per day. Such factors can lead to a false result - due to changes in the concentration of urine.

IN laboratory conditions urinalysis for hCG is carried out in a slightly different way. A woman collects urine according to the principle indicated above. The color of the urine should correspond to the clinical example of a liquid in which protein has been artificially added. The analysis will be considered positive only if the test liquid is the same shade or brighter than the material with artificial addition.

High and low scores

There are several factors that can lower or increase the level of the hormone in the urine, as well as give false result analysis. So, the following can affect the high level of chorion:

  • diabetes;
  • bearing two, three or more fetuses;
  • earlier onset of toxicosis;
  • discrepancy between the real and the expected time;
  • pathological development of the fetus;
  • increased risk of miscarriage;
  • intrauterine fetal death;
  • fading pregnancy;
  • insufficiency of the placenta;
  • possible Down's syndrome in a baby. But the analysis for hCG should by no means be the only method for diagnosing such a violation;
  • cases in which the duration of pregnancy exceeds the allotted time.

If the value of the chorion is below normal, this may indicate:

  1. the course of pregnancy outside the uterus;
  2. spontaneous miscarriage;
  3. incorrect gestational age, usually it turns out to be much less. Often this is due to the fact that the expectant mother provides incorrect information about the menstrual cycle;
  4. fading of the fetus;
  5. wrong position of the baby in the womb.

In addition, there are several situations in which a protein can be expressed in healthy women and men. These include:

  • drift of the chorion during an undeveloped pregnancy;
  • malignant tumors of the testicles;
  • oncological neoplasms in the uterus, kidneys, organs of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • consequences of medical termination of pregnancy;
  • influence medicines that contain chorion;
  • various gynecological diseases;
  • the onset of the climax.

Norm during pregnancy

In fact, there are no precisely established norms for the chorion hormone, since the bearing of a baby is an individual process and each woman proceeds differently. Even repeated pregnancy one woman will be different from the previous one.

Below is a table of average hCG values ​​in urine by day from conception:

day of pregnancy Average indicators of hCG honey / ml
10-12 up to 50
13 up to 100
14 105-3000
15 550-3200
16-18 1000-4000
19-20 2500-7640
21-23 2745-10000
25-26 5500-12000
28 11200-17000
month 14000-59000
34-38 35500-73000
41 58000-112000
6 weeks 64500-135000
49 29900-222000
50-55 30500-26600
56-60 54700-26800
63-70 25900-23400
71-75 46200-23800
77-125 16500-92700
126-189 8540-58500

So, looking at the table of hCG concentration in urine by day, you can notice a drop in the level of the hormone at the beginning of the second trimester of pregnancy, which is a completely normal process, since it is during this period that the chorion reincarnates into the placenta.

In addition, hCG in the urine by day after ovulation, with the exact provision of data to a woman, can be - in the first week up to 10 mU / ml, and seven weeks after the last ovulation, the chorion level will be from 28,000 to 128,000 mU / ml. Do not forget that these figures are average and will differ for each woman under the influence of various factors.

See the continuation of the article.

The hCG hormone is produced by both men and women. Normally, its amount in the blood does not exceed 5 mU / ml. In the fairer sex during menopause, it can increase up to 9 mU / ml. In medicine, it is usually referred to as female hormones.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormonal protein that produces female body at the onset of fertilization. It persists throughout pregnancy, reaching a maximum amount in the first trimester.

    HCG hormone during pregnancy

    Alpha and beta hormone are the structure of hCG. Alpha is similar in structure to gonadotropic hormones, and beta is exceptional, it becomes an indicator for diagnosis different states organism.

    The main task of the hormone is to protect the fertilized egg from immune system organism. Villi are formed in the egg, which, before the formation of the placenta, will produce. It will force the corpus luteum of the ovary to work in an increased mode, producing progesterone and turning off the menstrual cycle. HCG fills the walls of the uterus with new blood vessels that the embryo needs for development.

    The basis of the pregnancy test is increased hCG level in blood. Increasing, it reacts, and the test strip is colored. The more it is in the urine, the brighter color. Already from the first weeks of pregnancy, the concentration of the hormone begins to gradually increase. However, its level in the urine is much lower, so the reaction on the test strip at 1 week of pregnancy is not visible.


    As the fetus grows, the amount of the hormone increases - every day by 2 times. At 7-8 weeks, the level of hCG in the blood reaches a maximum level, which then gradually decreases:

    • 1-2 weeks - 25-300 IU / l;
    • 3-4 - 100,000 IU / l;
    • 5-6 - 150,000 IU / l;
    • 7-10 - 200000 IU/l;
    • 12 weeks - 90,000 IU / l;
    • 14 -35 - 60000-40000 IU / l;

    You can determine the height of the concentration by passing a blood test. At home, special tests will become assistants. A positive result will be visible only 2 weeks after fertilization.

    A blood test is taken from a vein. On the eve of the study, it is necessary to exclude food and drinks from 4 to 6 hours, intimacy and heavy physical exercise. Before taking blood, the doctor is warned about the hormonal drugs used.

    After fertilization, tests are carried out on the 14th day, screening is additionally prescribed at 12-14 weeks.

    Causes of hormonal deviation

    Human chorionic gonadotropin is used to establish pregnancy in the early stages, evaluate the abortion, the threat of miscarriage, ectopic conception.

    At 9-14 weeks after ovulation, possible malformations in the fetus are diagnosed with the help of an analysis. If the embryo has chromosomal pathologies, the amount of beta gonadotropins becomes higher than the level of the total hormone.


    Sometimes a woman receives a result that does not correspond to the gestational age. If the hormone is elevated, in some cases this indicates the development of several embryos. The error occurs when the timing of conception is set incorrectly. Increased rate may be associated with diseases:

    • preeclampsia is a disease that occurs during pregnancy and is characterized by disorders in the functions of vital systems;
    • toxicosis that occurs during gestation and is accompanied by nausea and vomiting;
    • blistering - pathological condition in which the organ degenerates for the attachment of a fertilized egg;
    • genetic pathology;
    • diabetes;
    • at the reception hormonal drugs containing hCG.

    A low level of gonadotropin in expectant mothers diagnoses an ectopic or frozen pregnancy. Lack of the hormone causes a lack of progesterone, which can trigger a premature miscarriage.

    An elevated level of hCG in the blood in men is a signal of a possible testicular tumor. At non-pregnant women this anomaly is typical for neoplasms of the pituitary gland and mammary glands, cancer gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, uterus. Sometimes an elevated level of hCG in the blood is observed against the background of uterine fibroids or ovarian cysts in menopause.


    False indicators can give tests carried out too early in pregnancy, or technological failures in laboratory studies.

    human chorionic gonadotropin

    With various deviations chorionic gonadotropin may be appointed medicines. Preparations containing this hormone are provided on the market: Pregnil, Profazi, Horagon, Ecostimulin. The dosage is determined only by the attending physician.

    Medicines are prescribed for women in the absence of ovulation, irregular menstrual cycles and infertility. The introduction of drugs in the middle of the menstrual cycle increases estrogen and progesterone, which makes it possible to become pregnant. They are also used to avoid miscarriage, if such relapses have already been observed.


    HCH injections are prescribed for girls with late sexual development. For boys, the drug is prescribed for underdeveloped testicles, sexual infantilism, dwarfism.

    The use of the drug gives positive results at male infertility by accelerating the movement of spermatozoa.

    Recently, there have been discussions about the drug treatment of pregnant women with HIV infection. High level HCG in the early stages of gestation blocks the transmission of the virus from mother to child. To reduce the risk of infection, it is necessary to increase the level of the hormone.

    Treatment with artificial insemination is widely used. The purpose of the drug is to cause the maturation of the egg in the follicle at a certain time.

    Except positive effects stimulation of the hormone with drugs can cause undesirable consequences. The risk of subsequent ectopic pregnancies is increased. The hormone affects blood vessels, so it is not prescribed for thrombosis and varicose veins veins.

    In case of any deviations in the level of hCG, it is necessary to consult a specialist and find out the prerequisites this phenomenon. An increase in the hormone during pregnancy is normal reaction female body.

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Human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG is a peptide hormone that is produced by the placenta during pregnancy. Its presence in the urine or blood serves as a test to confirm conception. But an increase in gonadotropin levels can also indicate malignant neoplasms. Consider when hCG begins to be produced.

Human gonadotropin and its role in the body

Gonadotropin, known as the pregnancy hormone, passes through the kidneys into the bloodstream and can be found in urine and blood. The early term of bearing a baby is determined by the presence of an increased concentration of hCG. As part of artificial insemination A hormone is injected into a woman's body to induce ovulation.

The determination of the concentration of hCG in the blood is used in addition to other values ​​in perinatal diagnostics when assessing the risk of chromosomal abnormalities, such as trisomy 21. The presence of such an anomaly is evidence of the development of Down syndrome. An increase in the concentration of hCG in the blood in men and non-pregnant women may be a sign of a cancerous tumor.

Pregnancy or not?

In most cases, when the hCG hormone begins to be produced, this means the beginning of pregnancy. The signal for the production of this hormone is the implantation of a fertilized egg in the wall of the uterus. HCG then sends pregnancy signals through the blood to the ovaries and pituitary gland. This leads to the fact that ovulation does not occur, the endometrium remains unchanged and continues to grow, and menstruation stops.

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When the hCG hormone begins to be produced and is found in significant quantities in the urine of a woman, this is a very important indicator. an existing pregnancy. Almost all pregnancy tests work on the principle of detecting hCG-specific beta subunits.

tumor marker

But the appearance of chorionic gonadotropin in the blood can also be a marker of tumors. For this reason, the detection of significant amounts of this hormone in men or non-pregnant women is considered a reason for a detailed examination.

HCG as a drug


The property of hCG to stimulate the production of testosterone in the body is used in medicine in order to counteract male testicular atrophy. Human gonadotropin can also compensate for the lack of certain sex hormones and is used to treat fertility disorders in women and men:

  • The introduction of gonadotropin helps to compensate for the deficiency of this hormone. In a woman's body, the active ingredient stimulates the growth of follicles in the ovary and ovulation. It also promotes the transformation of the follicle into the corpus luteum and the synthesis of the sex hormones progesterone and estrogen in the ovaries. Thus, the drug creates the conditions for pregnancy.
  • In men hormone therapy preparation of chorionic gonadotropin leads to the secretion of testosterone in the testes. This hormone stimulates the expression of male sexual characteristics. In addition, the active ingredient promotes the development and maturation of male sperm.
  • Boys with undescended testicles receive a drug to stimulate the movement of the testicles from abdominal cavity into the scrotum and eliminate delayed puberty.

Indicators of the norm and dynamics of growth of the hormone

The concentration of hCG is determined in serum or blood plasma, and in pregnant women - in the urine. Normal values must not exceed:

  • in men and non-pregnant women of childbearing age - 5 IU / l;
  • in a woman after the onset of menopause - 10 IU / l.

The dynamics of changes in hormone levels

HCG begins to be produced in pregnant women when its blood levels rise steadily in the first few weeks after conception. Approximately every two days, the concentration of the hormone doubles. Peak values ​​of 100,000 IU/liter are reached sometime between the eighth and tenth week of gestation. Then the concentration of gonadotropin slowly drops to basal values. This occurs shortly before the 20th week of pregnancy.

The pregnancy-supporting hormone progesterone forms the corpus luteum and until the placenta is mature enough, the body continues to produce it. This happens almost until the end of the 4th month of gestation. 36 hours after the baby is born, hCG is usually no longer detectable.

Low or very slowly rising hCG concentration or a sharp decrease in its level in the early stages suggests ectopic pregnancy, which threatens miscarriage. After a miscarriage, hCG can still remain in the blood for an average of 19 days, and a maximum of five weeks. After an abortion, its concentration drops after about 30 days.

It should be noted that the levels of gonadotropin in each woman may differ depending on individual characteristics body and health.

What do deviations from the norm indicate?


When is the hCG value too low? Low concentrations of human gonadotropin in the blood are not considered, since they do not have any effect on health. But a high level of hCG can talk about such processes in the body:

  • During pregnancy, elevated levels of hCG indicate multiple pregnancies or trisomy 21 fetuses.
  • for the presence of malignant tumors.

Elevated levels of hCG in the blood may be due to malignant formations in bodies such as:

  • ovaries and testicles;
  • pancreas;
  • stomach;
  • intestines;
  • rectum;
  • liver;
  • lungs;
  • breast;
  • kidneys.

In addition, an increased concentration of hCG may indicate the so-called hydatids. These are tumoral changes in the placenta, which may be a precursor to malignant choriocarcinoma.

The hCG hormone is produced by the cells of the chorion (the membrane of the embryo) after the implantation of the embryo into the uterus. Based on a blood test for b-hCG, the doctor determines the presence of chorionic tissue in the body, which means that the woman is pregnant. An hCG blood test makes it possible to determine pregnancy early - as early as 6-10 days after fertilization, the hCG result will be positive.

The role of hCG in the first trimester of pregnancy is to stimulate the formation of hormones necessary for the development and maintenance of pregnancy, such as progesterone, estrogens (estradiol and free estriol). With the normal development of pregnancy in the future, these hormones are produced by the placenta.

Chorionic gonadotropin is very important. In the male fetus, hCG stimulates the so-called Leydig cells, which synthesize testosterone. Testosterone in this case is simply necessary, as it contributes to the formation of the genital organs according to male type, and also has an effect on the adrenal cortex of the embryo. HCG consists of two units - alpha and beta hCG. Alpha - the component of hCG has a similar structure with units TSH hormones, FSH and LH, and beta-hCG is unique. Therefore, it is of crucial importance in the diagnosis laboratory analysis b-hCG.

You can also diagnose pregnancy with the help of home pregnancy tests based on the analysis of hCG excreted in the urine. But the reliability of the hCG result obtained by the "home" method is significantly lower than the laboratory analysis of hCG blood, since the level of hCG in the urine necessary for diagnosis is reached a few days later than in the blood.

The most common cases when a doctor prescribes an analysis for hCG:

Among women:

  • Amenorrhea
  • Diagnosis, determination of pregnancy in the early stages
  • Rule out the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy
  • To assess the completeness of induced abortion
  • HCG is also given for dynamic observation for pregnancy
  • With the threat of miscarriage and non-developing pregnancy
  • Diagnosis of tumors - chorionepithelioma, hydatidiform mole
  • Along with AFP and free estriol - as a prenatal diagnosis of fetal malformations

For men:

  • Diagnosis of testicular tumors.

HCG levels in blood serum

The norm of hCG, honey / ml
Men and non-pregnant women< 5
HCG levels during pregnancy:
1 - 2 weeks 25 — 300
2 – 3 weeks 1500 — 5000
3 - 4 weeks 10000 — 30000
4 - 5 week 20000 — 100000
5 - 6 week 50000 — 200000
6 - 7 week 50000 — 200000
7 - 8 week 20000 — 200000
8 - 9 week 20000 — 100000
9 - 10 week 20000 — 95000
11 - 12 weeks 20000 — 90000
13 - 14 weeks 15000 — 60000
15 - 25 weeks 10000 — 35000
26 - 37 weeks 10000 — 60000

Note!

  1. HCG rates by week are given for the terms of pregnancy "from conception" (and not for the terms last menstrual period).
  2. The above figures are not a standard! Each laboratory can set its own hCG standards, including by weeks of pregnancy. When evaluating the results of the hCG norm by week of pregnancy, you need to rely only on the norms of the laboratory where you were tested for hCG!

HCG growth by DPO days (day after ovulation):

No. dpo - min [average] max

7 dpo - 2 10

8 dpo - 3 18

9 dpo - 5 21

10dpo - 8 26

11dpo - 1145

12dpo - 1765

13dpo - 22,105

14dpo - 29,170

15dpo - 39,270

16dpo - 68,400

17dpo - 120,580

18dpo - 220,840

19dpo - 370 1300

20dpo - 520 2000

21dpo - 750 3100

22dpo – 1050 4900

23dpo – 1400 6200

24dpo – 1830 7800

25dpo – 2400 9800

26dpo – 4200 15600

27dpo - 5400 19500

28dpo – 7100 27300

29dpo - 8800 33000

30dpo - 10500 40000

31dpo - 11500 60000

32dpo - 12800 63000

33dpo - 14000 68000

34dpo - 15500 70000

35dpo – 17000 74000

36dpo - 19000 78000

37dpo - 20500 83000

38dpo - 22000 87000

39dpo - 23000 93000

40dpo - 25000 108000

41dpo - 26500 117000

42dpo - 28000 128000

HCG decoding

Normally, during pregnancy, the level of hCG gradually rises. During the 1st trimester of pregnancy, the level of b-hCG increases rapidly, doubling every 2-3 days. At 10-12 weeks of pregnancy, the highest level of hCG in the blood is reached, then the level of hCG begins to slowly decrease and remains constant during the second half of pregnancy.

An increase in beta-hCG during pregnancy can occur with:

  • multiple pregnancy (hCG rate increases in proportion to the number of fetuses)
  • toxicosis, gestosis
  • diabetes mothers
  • fetal pathologies, Down syndrome, multiple malformations
  • incorrect gestational age
  • taking synthetic gestagens

An increase in hCG may be a sign serious illnesses in non-pregnant women and in men:

  • testicular tumors
  • tumor diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
  • neoplasms of the lungs, kidneys, uterus
  • hydatidiform mole, recurrence of hydatidiform mole
  • chorioncarcinoma
  • reception hCG preparations
  • an analysis for hCG was done within 4-5 days after the abortion, etc.

Usually, hCG is elevated if the hCG test was performed 4-5 days after the abortion or due to the use of hCG preparations. A high hCG level after a mini-abortion indicates an ongoing pregnancy.

Low hCG in pregnant women may mean an incorrect definition of the term for determining pregnancy or be a sign of serious violations:

  • ectopic pregnancy
  • non-developing pregnancy
  • fetal growth retardation
  • the threat of spontaneous abortion (lowered hCG by more than 50%)
  • chronic placental insufficiency
  • true miscarriage
  • fetal death (in the II-III trimester of pregnancy).

It happens that the results of the analysis of hCG show the absence of the hormone in the blood. This result can be if the hCG test was performed too early or during an ectopic pregnancy.

Whatever the result of the analysis for hormones during pregnancy is not obtained, remember that only a qualified doctor can give a correct decoding of hCG, determining which HCG norm just for you in combination with data obtained by other methods of examination.

How to take a blood test for the hCG hormone

To perform an hCG analysis, blood is taken from a vein. It is recommended to take blood for hCG in the morning and strictly on an empty stomach. If you are taking an hCG test at any other time, you must abstain from food for 4-6 hours. And you should tell your nurse or your doctor if you are taking any hormonal medications.

Laboratory test for determining pregnancy in early dates It is recommended to carry out no earlier than 3-5 days of delayed menstruation. A blood test for pregnancy can be repeated after 2-3 days to clarify the results.

To identify fetal pathology in pregnant women, an analysis for hCG, chorionic gonadotropin, is taken from the 14th to the 18th week of pregnancy.
However, in order to diagnose possible pathologies the fetus was reliable, it is necessary to pass more than one blood test for hCG. Together with hCG, the following markers are given: AFP, hCG, E3 (alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, free estriol.

Serum levels of AFP and CG during physiological pregnancy

Pregnancy period, weeksAFP, average levelAFP, min-maxCG, medium levelCG, min-max
14 23,7 12 — 59,3 66,3 26,5 — 228
15 29,5 15 — 73,8
16 33,2 17,5 — 100 30,1 9,4 — 83,0
17 39,8 20,5 — 123
18 43,7 21 — 138 24 5,7 — 81,4
19 48,3 23,5 — 159
20 56 25,5 — 177 18,3 5,2 — 65,4
21 65 27,5 — 195
22 83 35 — 249 18,3 4,5 — 70,8
24 16,1 3,1 — 69,6

Actually, everything about HCG (hCG)

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Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) - "pregnancy hormone", begins to be produced by the chorion tissue on the 8th day after ovulation and one day after the implantation of a fertilized egg. Oksana Morozova, head of the outpatient department of the ISIDA clinic Livoberezhnaya, obstetrician-gynecologist, talks about the role of this hormone.

Oksana Timofeevna, please decipher the name of the hormone.

“Chorionic” - since it is produced by the chorion (this is the shell of the embryo, the placenta is subsequently formed from it), “gonadotropin” - since it acts on the genitals (gonads) of the mother, setting them up to support the developing pregnancy.

What are the functions of the "pregnancy hormone"?

Its functions are numerous: it supports the development and function of the corpus luteum of pregnancy up to 7 weeks, takes part in the production of steroids in the fetus, participating in the formation of the sex of the fetus, it is believed that it has immunosuppressive properties, preventing rejection of the fetus foreign to the mother's immune system.

How does hCG level change during pregnancy?

In the first weeks, its level doubles approximately every 2-3 days (from 48 to 72 hours). An increase in hCG levels by 60% in two days is also considered normal. As the pregnancy progresses, the rate of increase in hCG levels decreases. After reaching the level of 1200 mU / ml, the hCG level usually doubles every 3-4 days (from 72 to 96 hours). After 6000 mU/ml doubling occurs on average every 4 days (96 hours).

The maximum level of hCG is observed at 8-10 weeks, then slowly decreases by 16 weeks and remains at the same level until 34 weeks, followed by the second peak of hCG, the significance of which is unclear, perhaps this is one of the mechanisms for triggering labor.

How can hCG be determined?

Based on a blood or urine test. A qualitative reaction to the determination of hCG in the urine underlies the work of a pregnancy test (test strips). More accurate is the quantitative determination of hCG in serum in the laboratory. The fact is that the laboratory issues not only the level of hCG in mU / ml, but also provides reference intervals for each week of pregnancy, and also guarantees the quality of the result through the use of control sera and participation in various schemes quality control laboratory research.

Why do home pregnancy test instructions say “beta hCG definition”?

The fact is that according to the structure, hCG is a glycoprotein, consists of alpha and beta subunits. The alpha subunit is almost identical to all glycoproteins ( thyroid-stimulating hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone), and the beta subunit is unique to each hormone. Therefore, beta hCG tests are more specific than hCG tests. The presence of pregnancy can be judged precisely by a positive beta-hCG test.

I note that only according to the results of laboratory studies - with the quantitative determination of chorionic gonadotropin - can one trace the "correct" increase in beta-hCG in the first weeks of pregnancy, which will be a symptom of the normal development of the chorion and a favorable prognostic sign of the normal development and functioning of the placenta in this pregnancy. Further, speaking of hCG, I will mean exactly beta-hCG, although in some laboratories they can still determine hCG (both alpha and beta), so this nuance should be taken into account in the direction of analysis.

If in the analyzes there are deviations from the normal hCG figures you have given ...

... then they must be interpreted very carefully and it is better to entrust this to the doctor!

Firstly, because each has its own norm: for one patient, an increase in hCG by 60% in 48 hours will be normal, and for another by 100-200% (2-3 times) at the same time. And here negative emotions and the thought that “something is wrong” with the fetus will not benefit anyone!

I also consider it pointless to determine the gestational age by the level of hCG - too large a normal range leaves no hope for a correct answer. And why, if there are proven methods by the date of the last menstruation and by ultrasound?


Let's summarize. When can we use the hCG analysis and what will it tell us?

I will answer point by point:

  • With a very short gestation period, when ultrasound is still powerless, the hCG test will give an answer about the presence or absence of pregnancy.
  • If there is a discrepancy between the delay in menstruation and the ultrasound picture of hCG, it will be possible to distinguish a violation of the menstrual cycle from a short term pregnancy.
  • It will help confirm a frozen (non-developing) pregnancy suspected by ultrasound up to 6 weeks (hCG does not increase or decreases), more late term Ultrasound is enough to make a diagnosis.
  • HCG will allow you to suspect an ectopic pregnancy (however, the diagnosis must be confirmed by ultrasound and clinically).
  • HCG is used in screening programs for chromosomal abnormalities (hCG levels will be elevated in Down syndrome, for example). But even in order to fall into the risk group for this pathology, one advanced level HCG is not enough!

Evaluation of the level of hCG is used in the diagnosis and monitoring of the effectiveness of the treatment of trophoblastic diseases (chorioepithelioma, hydatidiform mole).

Here, perhaps, are all situations where we can use a blood test for hCG. Let me remind you once again that it is better to consult a doctor for an interpretation of the analysis in order to avoid unnecessary worries from an incorrect interpretation of the result. I also note that the level of hCG can also be increased during multiple pregnancy (the result increases in proportion to the number of fetuses), prolonged pregnancy, early toxicosis pregnant women, preeclampsia, diabetes mellitus, taking synthetic progestins and lowered with the threat of miscarriage, chronic placental insufficiency, prolonged pregnancy, and all this must be taken into account when evaluating the result.