Important Tests during pregnancy help check the baby's growth and health, as well as the mother's well-being.
Beta HCG Test: Pregnancy is a beautiful stage in every woman's life and Married Couples trying to conceive or already pregnant might have heard about this test called beta HCG. If not, HCG is a pregnancy hormone that you get only after your sperm fertilizes the egg.
And coming to this Beta HCG test is normally taken to confirm your pregnancy after the missing period. And this hormone will be produced in your body after 10 days of conception.
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A B-HCG test will be taken to confirm your pregnancy in the first trimester and to know how beta HCG level for pregnancy changes during the pregnancy process.
There is a lot to know about this Beta HCG Pregnancy test, If you thinking of having a child, it is important for you to know about this useful and wanted information that will help you in your pregnancy.
- What is Beta HCG Test & What it is Used For?
- Beta HCG Levels in Pregnancy Week by Week - Normal Range of HCG in Pregnancy
- Factors That May Affect Beta HCG Test
- Risks of Beta HCG Test For Pregnancy
- Should I check my HCG Level Regularly during Pregnancy?
- How is HCG used for Fertility?
- What is the Beta HCG level for pregnancy confirmation?
- What is the beta HCG test range that one should have for a successful pregnancy?
What is Beta HCG Test & What it is Used For?
Beta HCG test (β-hCG) is a Human Chorionic Gonadotropin test that helps to measure the level of HCG in the blood.
This hormone is secreted by the placenta only during pregnancy. Once the fertilized egg attaches to the urine wall, after 6 to 11 days this hormone will be secreted. A Woman should take this test after the missing period for better results. And you can detect HCG in your body with a blood or urine test.
In this there will be two types of tests, one is qualitative which helps to know the presence of HCG level in the body, and the other is quantitative which helps to know the amount of HCG present in urine or blood.
HCG test helps to know more about your pregnancy for medical practitioners. By this test, a doctor can come to know that you are pregnant, and also in further weeks, they come to know whether the HCG level is increasing or not.
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It is important to monitor the Beta HCG levels in first trimester. Also, it helps to know about the chances of miscarriage. If the HCG level is lower than it should be there is a high chance of termination, so the doctor can able to suggest extreme care.
Even doctors can able to know about the age of the fetus, and also know whether there are single or multiple pregnancies.
Beta HCG Levels in Pregnancy Week by Week - Normal Range of HCG in Pregnancy
As we have discussed the HCG, you may come to an idea about the HCG and we will know the normal range of HCG levels that you can have in the pregnancy.
Note: These beta hcg levels by week are provided for information purposes only, and they may vary from person to person. Do not conclude just by seeing this table and info, do visit your doctor after you have seen the report of HCG.
| Week Length in Pregnancy | Normal Range of HCG in Pregnancy |
| 4 Weeks | 0 - 750 µ/L |
| 5 Weeks | 200 - 7,000 µ/L |
| 6 Weeks | 200 - 32,000 µ/L |
| 7 Weeks | 3,000 - 160,000 µ/L |
| 8 - 12 Weeks (End of first Trimester) | 32,000 - 210,000 µ/L |
| 13 - 16 Weeks | 9,000 - 210,000 µ/L |
| 17 - 29 Weeks (End of Second Trimester) | 1,400 - 53,000 µ/L |
| 29 - 41 Weeks (Third Trimester) | 940 - 60,000 µ/L |
When a doctor wants to know your HCG range in pregnancy, they write the HCG test which is a blood test.
HCG level will be lowest after 6 - 11 days after conception and it rises high by the end of your first trimester. And again the HCG levels will decrease.
And when you see the report, if the Beta HCG levels are lower than expected, then there is a possibility of miscarriage where you need to take extreme care.
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Also, there is a chance of Ectopic pregnancies, even if there may be a chance of miscalculation of your gestational age.
At the same time, if there is a higher HCG level than it should be, then also there is a chance of some rare complications like multiple pregnancies, and molar pregnancy. But dont worry sometimes, it also happens due to an incorrect conception date.
Factors That May Affect Beta HCG Test
When you take the Beta HCG test for pregnancy at home, there is a chance of a false or negative test report and it may be due to some reasons like
- Drinking a lot of water before taking the test, in case of a Urine test urine may get diluted.
- And when you are taking a urine test in the middle of the day when the HCG level is weaker.
- Also, you may use less amount of urine in Urine tests.
- In some rare cases even after the loss of pregnancy, there is a chance of showing high levels of HCG, due to molar pregnancy, miscarriage, and also unusual antibodies in the blood.
Risks of Beta HCG Test For Pregnancy
Taking the Beta HCG test is very safe and when you are taking this test through urine, you can happily do it yourself if you want to take this test with blood it needs a blood test, which will cause some brief pain when they puncture needle into the vein of your body to take blood.
But if you take this pregnancy test very early there is a chance of result negative. This can be stressful for the people who are looking for a pregnancy.
Even some people get positive HCG results and after some days they may lose the baby.
FAQs on Beta-HCG Test For Pregnancy
1. Should I Check my HCG Level Regularly during Pregnancy?
Doctors may not suggest this HCG scan regularly unless you have some potential problems like bleeding, severe cramping, or a history of miscarriages.
2. How is HCG used for Fertility?
These HCG injections are used when you have a low fertility rate, to increase the chances of pregnancy. Mainly this can be seen in IVF treatments.
3. What is the Beta HCG level for pregnancy confirmation?
If you have an HCG level of 5 - 10 mIU/ml then you can say that you are pregnant but this can be known only through blood tests. In the Urine test, you will get positive results only if your HCG level is 20 mIU/ml.
4. What is the beta hcg test range one should have for a successful pregnancy?
If your HCG level is greater than 500 IU/L, then we can say that 95% of you are pregnant. If you have less than that there is a 35% chance of pregnancy.
Final Words
Hope that the information we have shared on the Beta HCG test has given you an idea of what it is, why you need to take that test, and all. After taking the test, just consult your doctor and go accordingly.
Not only the Beta HCG test in early pregnancy but more tests are included during pregnancy. Know about all of them at Soumya Hospitals.com.
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