Hcg 12 - what does it mean

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The birth of a child is one of the most significant events in the life of every person, but at the same time many questions, problems, as well as myths and beliefs are associated with it. For a long time, scientists have tried to understand the nature of conception, fertilization, and the development of the embryo in the womb. And there are still many white spots and mysteries of nature, to which there are not always logically possible answers. Sometimes the impossible happens, and there are times when, according to science, pregnancy should occur, but it still doesn’t and doesn’t. Desperate couples are looking for all possible ways, even purely mystical ones, to fulfill their most cherished dream - to become parents. However, scientists still found a way to help those families who are trying to get pregnant, and for some reason they do not succeed.

How can I find out about the onset of pregnancy

During the planning of the birth of a child, the determining factor that allows you to know whether the previous cycle of maturation of the female egg was successful or not is the so-called hCG hormone (human chorionic gonadotropin). It begins to be produced in a woman's body only during pregnancy, and this happens literallya few hours after the fertilization of the egg by the sperm. For example, a doctor will be able to assess the success of an in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure if the hCG result is 12, 25 or 1250 mU/ml in dynamics.

That is why, when it is not possible to wait for a delay in the menstrual cycle and do simple home tests, they do a special blood test that will definitely show whether there is a pregnancy or not. Similarly, this hormone shows the development of the embryo.

HCG values that are too high or too low can indicate a problem in the development of the fetus, and this should be paid special attention.

What is this hormone - HCG

hCG (short for human chorionic gonadotropin) is a hormone that only appears in the body during pregnancy. The placenta, which forms around the embryo after fertilization of the egg, releases it into the body. Newborn children, by the way, retain a very high level of this hormone, which is gradually excreted from their body, and somewhere on average, by the age of three months, the level of hCG begins to correspond to the norms of the content of the adult hormone.

What is the peculiarity of measuring the level of hCG in the blood

The fact is that in the first day and even hours after fertilization, the level of the hormone practically doubles every two to three days. And such a frantic pace persists up to 11-12 weeks from conception. Then, by the 15th week, the values of the hCG hormone decrease slightly and then remain at the same level until the very end.pregnancy childbirth.

The same hormone in the urine is also detected by home tests, but a fairly high level of its content is already needed - the first two weeks of pregnancy, such tests may not show. Therefore, they are usually done after a delay - then the hormone values will be quite high, and such tests will no longer “miss” it, but they cannot fix those small values \u200b\u200bthat happen in the first week or two after fertilization and implantation. If a blood test shows even meager proportions of the hormone - hCG 2 or hCG 12, then a urine test shows a second strip only when it comes to thousands of mU / ml.

Some features of the analysis of hCG results

Sometimes, if the level of hCG is significantly below the norm corresponding to a certain week of pregnancy, it may be that the embryo has stopped developing for some reason. If this fact is established in time, many problems for a woman's he alth can be avoided. But it is impossible to make a decision after a single test result for the level of the hCG hormone. You need to look at changes in dynamics. In general, a situation is possible when the analysis shows the result of hCG 12 in a woman on the 3rd day of the delay in the menstrual cycle. Does this mean that there was an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage? If the test is done again after 2 days and the hCG level is already 350, then this indicates that the pregnancy is developing within the normal range, and there is no reason for concern. If, after two or three days, the level of hCG remained at the same level or decreased, it means that there is no pregnancy or there waspregnancy, but the embryo could not attach to the walls of the uterus and a miscarriage occurred.

What can be confusing

As a rule, doctors take as normal the level of hCG in a non-pregnant state up to 5 mU / ml (it is expressed in international units in a milliliter). Pregnancy can be indicated by an hCG level of 25 or higher, depending on the term.

The result of hCG 12 during pregnancy may indicate an incorrectly determined period. This may also indicate a possible cessation of fetal development or an ectopic pregnancy. Often, women who receive such a blood test result begin to panic at the sight of a line - hCG 8 or hCG 12. What this means can only be explained by a qualified doctor who observes a woman. Do not panic. Most likely, the attending physician will prescribe an ultrasound examination and a second blood test, which will show the dynamics of an increase or decrease in the level of the hormone in the blood. Please note that no doctor has the right to diagnose a miscarriage, miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy based on only one blood test! It is necessary to conduct additional studies and only having all the results of tests and examinations on hand, you can make the correct diagnosis with accuracy.

Experienced doctors know that a woman's body is not an automatic clock. Until now, many functions of the body are not fully understood. Therefore, you should not be upset if, according to the results of the test, the result of hCG is 9 mU / ml or hCG 12. What gestational age it can mean - time will tell. Quitepossible late implantation of the embryo. It is better to repeat the test in a few days to know for sure.

What gives a change in the level of hCG during IVF

Many couples who, for whatever reason, cannot conceive naturally, decide to use the method of in vitro fertilization of the egg. It is extremely important for doctors to measure the level of the hormone in the woman’s blood in order to find out if everything went well. It is according to the changes in the level of hCG that one can judge whether the successful development of the embryo in the uterus has begun. But even if the result is not very high (hCG 12 mU / ml or hCG 15 mU / ml), then there are still chances that the transferred embryos will take root and attach.

What is in vitro fertilization

IVF (short for "in vitro fertilization") helps in cases where infertility is caused by serious ovarian dysfunction that has not been eliminated by traditional treatment regimens. In fact, these are the so-called "test-tube babies" - a female egg is fertilized by a sperm not in the body, but in a special laboratory. The fertilized embryos are then implanted into the woman's uterus. After this procedure, doctors carefully monitor whether they take root there or not. Here the hCG hormone comes to the rescue again, which, as with natural fertilization, begins to be produced in the mother's body.

What are the norms of hCG in the body at different weeks of pregnancy

Please,Please note that the results below are approximate and should not be used to make any final decision. The diagnosis is made only by a qualified doctor based on the complete clinical picture of each individual patient.

So, the following standards for the level of hCG in a woman's body are accepted:

- 1-2 weeks of pregnancy - 25-156 mU/ml.

- 2-3 weeks of pregnancy - 101-4870 mU/ml.

- 3-4 weeks of pregnancy - 1110-31500 mU/ml.

- 4-5 weeks of pregnancy - 2560-82300 mU/ml.

- 5-6 weeks of pregnancy - 23100-151000 mU/ml.

- 6-7 weeks of pregnancy - 27300-233000 mU/ml.

- 7-11 weeks of pregnancy - 20900-291000 mU/ml.

As you can see from this table, the spread of data is huge, so the most important thing to pay attention to is the dynamics of change - every 2-3 days, the figures for hCG should approximately double. If this does not happen, then complications may arise, and it is necessary to urgently consult with a specialist in order to avoid possible he alth problems. This is a possible frozen or ectopic pregnancy.

When is it necessary to take tests for the hCG hormone after embryo transfer

It is desirable, of course, to pause after the procedure for replanting fertilized embryos, so that the woman's body has time to adapt to the new "tenants" and begins to adequately respond with the production of the hCG hormone. 12 days after this event, you can already go to donate blood for analysis. As a rule, by this time it will become clearembryos attached or this protocol failed.

However, when carrying out the IVF procedure, one very important factor must be taken into account: in different cases, different embryos are implanted according to the duration of their "life", so the result of hCG 12 on day 12 in different protocols does not always mean that the embryos did not take root.

Doctors and patients must follow the results of the analysis for the hCG hormone. It is very important for everyone to get confirmation of the development of the embryo in the uterus of a woman. But if the hCG test 12 comes at 10 dpo (that is, the day after planting), then the success of IVF is a big question. It is not uncommon for cases when too slow growth of the hormone can threaten fetal development problems in the future. It is necessary, together with the attending physician, to discuss the advisability of continuing the medical support of this protocol, to weigh all possible risks and consequences.

Some patients with a result of hCG 10 or hCG 12 at 14 dpo make the decision to stop support and tune in to prepare the body for the next procedure. Of course, such a result is frustrating, but there is always hope for future success.

Low hCG values with IVF

Many parents-to-be are very worried when they see hCG values that are not very high on blood tests - not high enough to be sure of a successful pregnancy, but higher than non-pregnant body values. Yes, there are certain risks, but only a doctor decides such issues. Despite the fact that insufficienthormone production may indicate a non-attached embryo or ectopic attachment, however, there is a fairly high chance that the whole procedure was successful - it is likely that the test was done too early and uninformative in terms of the result.

In any case, it is necessary to take a balanced view of the results of the analysis for the presence of the hCG hormone and make a decision together with a partner and build a strategy for further action under the guidance of a qualified doctor whom both partners trust in the matter of reproduction.