With the onset of pregnancy, the expectant mother will have to go through a lot of research and pass a lot of tests. Most often, women are prescribed a general study of urine and blood. However, the results of such diagnostics cannot confirm or refute the new interesting position. This article will focus on beta-hCG. You will find out what kind of substance it is and why it is formed. It is also worth mentioning at what time you need to take an analysis of beta-hCG. In medicine, there are generally accepted norms for this substance in the blood of a woman at different periods of pregnancy.
Beta HCG
This substance is secreted by the ovum and placenta. It appears in the blood of the expectant mother the very next day after implantation. At the same time, conventional pregnancy tests still show a negative result. This is due to the fact that the amount of beta-hCG in the urine is much less than in the blood. That is why, if you want to quickly find out about the onset of pregnancy, you should take a blood test.
As pregnancy progresses, beta-hCG levels rise. This hormone reaches its maximum at the end of the firsttrimester.
When should I get tested for beta-hCG during pregnancy?
Research can be carried out several times during the entire period of bearing a baby. Usually such an analysis is prescribed at the very beginning of pregnancy. At this stage, he helps to confirm the new position of the woman and set an approximate date. Most often, the study is carried out in dynamics.
After that, at the end of the first trimester, a blood test is taken to determine beta-hCG. 12 weeks is the ideal time for such a study. The result of the analysis allows you to determine the possible risks of developing intrauterine pathology. In this case, ultrasound data must be taken into account.
The next period for which the analysis is carried out is the period from the 16th to the 18th week. Most often, this diagnosis is carried out in those women who received a poor result of the first screening. If necessary, the determination of the hormone level can be carried out until the very end of pregnancy.
Are there any rules?
The norm of this substance in the blood of women, of course, is. It is worth noting that much depends on the term, number of fruits and medications taken. So, some medicines, for example, Horagon or Pregnil, can affect the result. In addition, the level of the hormone while waiting for the baby grows in proportion to the number of fetuses in the uterus. With pathologies such as ectopic pregnancy, hydatidiform drift, or a h alt in the development of the fetus, there is a decrease in this substance in the woman's blood. Consider what is the norm for beta-hCG at different gestation periodsbaby.
First trimester
Up to about six weeks of pregnancy, the hormone levels double every 48 hours. After that (until the eighth week), the substance doubles every three days. Further, the increase in units is declining.
In the first two weeks of pregnancy, it makes no sense to conduct this study, since the egg is only maturing and preparing for fertilization. In the period from the third to the fourth week, from 16 to 156 units of the substance can be found in the blood of the expectant mother. Further, until the fifth week, no more than 4870 IU / ml is released.
The fifth and sixth weeks are characterized by the amount of hormone from 1110 to 31500 units. At a period of six and seven weeks, 2560-82 300 IU / ml can be detected. The seventh and eighth are characterized by the amount of the hormone from 2310 to 151,000 units per milliliter of blood. In the period from the eighth to the ninth week, 27,300-233,000 IU / ml are detected.
Ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth are determined by the level of the hormone from 20,900 to 29,100 units. Beta-hCG (norm 12 weeks) does not exceed 30,000 IU / ml. Otherwise, we can talk about serious violations in the development of the baby.
Second trimester
At this stage, the level of the substance in the blood begins to gradually decrease. However, in some cases, it may remain in the same amount or be higher than normal. This is most often observed in multiple pregnancies or while taking drugs containing human chorionic gonadotropin.
In the period from the thirteenth to the eighteenth week in the blood of the expectant mother,the range of this hormone is between 6140 and 103,000 units. After that (until approximately the 24th week of embryo development), the level of human chorionic gonadotropin is 4720-80 100 IU/ml.
Third trimester
At this stage, it is very rare to measure the level of the hormone. However, there are generally accepted norms that are guided by the need for research. So, in the period from the 23rd to the 40th week, 2700-78 100 units of the substance are found in the blood of the expectant mother.
Remember that with multiple pregnancies, the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin may be slightly higher.
Possible pathologies
Is there a certain norm of beta-hCG with possible pathologies? Unfortunately, medicine has not yet established certain data. All due to the fact that the pathology can begin at different times and under different conditions. Also, the body of each expectant mother is individual and cannot respond in the same way to possible difficulties.
- During biochemical pregnancy, the level of the hormone reaches its norm until a certain week (usually the 5-6th). After that, there is a sharp decline in the substance, and the analysis shows negative values.
- Ectopic pregnancy is characterized by the fact that the norm of beta-hCG is not reached. The level of the hormone is growing, but very slowly and far behind the set values.
- HCG levels are much higher than normal with a mole. At the same time, during the ultrasound, an embryo with a heartbeat is not detected.
- If the expectant mother has diabetes, then the amount of beta-hCG may also exceed normal values.
Can a normal pregnancy not meet the established HCG standards?
It also happens that the fetus develops absolutely normally, but the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin in the blood of a woman is much higher or lower than normal. Why is this happening?
Most often this situation occurs at the very beginning. At the same time, a woman cannot exactly name the date of conception. If the gestational age is set incorrectly, then the values \u200b\u200bof the hormone level may differ from the established norms. Most often, the ultrasound diagnosis helps to clarify the situation. During an ultrasound, the doctor can accurately determine the gestational age (up to one day).
Summarizing and concluding the article
So, you now know what norms of human chorionic gonadotropin are allowed during pregnancy. Remember that you should not rely heavily on established numbers. The body of each woman is individual and may react differently to a new situation. Do not take into account the numbers that your girlfriends had on certain dates. Some doctors say that the level of the norm of beta-hCG may vary depending on the sex of the unborn child.
If you get a bad result, then you should repeat the analysis. Often there is a laboratory error or incorrect comparison with the norms. When interpreting data, always pay attention to the set values of the study center. They canvery different from other laboratories. Also, the result can be displayed in different units. All this greatly affects the obtained values. To clarify the situation, contact the gynecologist and follow all these appointments. Have an easy pregnancy!
