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Also called a beta HCG test, this blood test measures the specific HCG hormone in your blood in international units per liter (IU/L). HCG levels not only signal pregnancy but are also a way to measure whether a pregnancy is developing correctly. This article looks at HCG levels and how they relate to pregnancy. We also examine the potential results and accuracy of an HCG pregnancy test.
Levels generally peak at around 8 to 14 weeks after conception. After that they decline somewhat, and usually plateau during the second and third trimester. Most women can expect their levels to return to a non-pregnant range about 4 – 6 weeks after a pregnancy loss has occurred. A health care provider may recheck your levels if you are bleeding, experiencing severecramping, or have a history of miscarriage. It’s important to remember that every pregnancy is different, and you may have lower or higher levels of hCG hormone than what’s indicated in the week-by-week chart above.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pregnancy Tests
Whether you are actively trying to conceive or not, if you are having unprotected sex with your partner there is the possibility that you could become pregnant. Regular hCG testing and check-ups with your doctor will help to prevent surprises and set up a potential pregnancy on the right track. Last but not least, simple user error can be blamed in many cases.
There are two main types of pregnancy tests — urine tests and blood tests. Often, you’ll take a urine test at home with a home pregnancy test. This type of test is available over the counter (you don’t need a prescription from your healthcare provider) and in a variety of price ranges. Blood tests to check for pregnancy happen in your healthcare provider’s office and involve giving a sample of your blood.
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These medications are often used infertility treatments, and your health care provider should advise you on how they may affect a test. If you get a positive test result, you are most likely pregnant. However, there are some conditions that may cause a false positive, such as certain types of cancer and early miscarriage. For some, the value of the new test may simply be historical. Women treasure their tests as reminders of their first steps toward parenthood, and pregnancy tests themselves have experienced an interesting evolution.
A pregnant woman’s placenta produces hCG, also called the pregnancy hormone. This may be the case if you experience a chemical pregnancy or lose the pregnancy shortly after the fertilized egg attaches to your uterine wall. Medication is another potential factor that may interfere with the accuracy of your results.
Worried! HCG test
Then I understand that dark line on pregnancy test mean high HCG . It represents hormones and tells whether you’re pregnant or bloating. As with home urine tests, it is possible to end up with false results from a pregnancy blood test. In cases where hCG is higher or lower than these ranges, doctors may want to run further testing to monitor the health of the pregnancy. For example, if hCG is too low, this could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage.
If this is the case for you, it’s a good idea to take at least one more test to confirm your result. Urine hCG tests are normally available as either strips of paper, or as single sticks made of plastic. These tests are designed to test whether or not your hCG levels are above the threshold for early pregnancy, which is typically above 5-25 MIU/ml. It is possible – though uncommon – for hCG levels to fall instead of rise, and then rise again. While declining levels often signal a miscarriage, sometimes the levels go back up and the pregnancy proceeds normally.
Pregnancy
However, you should remember that the level varies for each woman. So, consult your doctor to know if your level falls into the normal range. Cleveland Clinic’s Ob/Gyn & Women’s Health Institute is committed to providing world-class care for women of all ages. We offer women's health services, obstetrics and gynecology throughout Northeast Ohio and beyond. An evaporation line may appear if you wait too long to check your results — meaning your pee is dry.
And always follow up with your doctor as soon as you get a positive result on a home pregnancy test. This is very rare; if you aren't pregnant your body simply will not product hCG. However, if you became pregnant and then lost the pregnancy without knowing it, there might be enough residual hormone in your urine for an HPT to detect. Other potential causes of a false-positive home pregnancy test include gestational trophoblastic diseases, menopause, or problems with the ovaries. If your mood swings last more than two weeks and do not seem to get better, you may want to ask your health care provider for a referral to a counselor. More than 11 million American women are affected by depression each year.
For most home pregnancy tests, you either hold a test strip in your urine stream or you collect your urine in a cup and dip your test strip into the cup. If you are pregnant, most test strips produce a colored line, but this will depend on the brand you purchased. Read the instructions for the test you bought and follow them carefully. Most pregnancy tests have about the same ability to detect hCG, but their ability to show whether or not you are pregnant depends on how much hCG you are producing.
Providers typically calculate your baby's gestational age and your due date based on the date of your last period. But it's common to get this calculation wrong, especially if you have irregular periods or don't remember the date of your last period. Your hCG levels may be lower than expected because your pregnancy isn't as far along as your provider thought.
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