low hcg levels

[proud2bemommy]

i am about 4 weeks and my hcg levels is 308 i gotta wait till monday to see if there going up and if they aint then the pregnancy aint viable what can i do??? anything?? my docter says 308 is a low number no  matter what is this true??? has anyone else had this issue and if you have whats your story what happened please help

[Jaimee]

Breathe....  didn't you just find out you're pg a few days ago?  How many DPO are you?  14ish?  That's 3 weeks pregnant.  Check out this database: http://www.betabase.info/showBasicChart.php?type=Single  You will see the wide range of normal.  Your number is in fact not low for 14ish DPO.  But keep in mind the number doesn't really mean anything, it is the doubling time that is important.  There is, unfortunately, nothing you can do but remain as relaxed and positive as you can.  I'm sorry you have to wait all the way until Monday to test again! 

[proud2bemommy]

yea im 14 dpo but my ob says thats low no matter what and shes not sure if my pregnancy is gonna be viable! i meab would she say that if there was no cause for concern??

[Jaimee]

Does you doctor know you are 14 DPO?  Or is she going off of a different date like your LMP and you had delayed ovulation?  Your level is NOT low for 14 DPO.  And in fact, didn't you have the blood test yesterday?  That would have been 13 DPO.

It actually has been my experience that a lot of medical practitioners say things even when they don't know all the facts or haven't read up on all the latest research or worse, when they aren't fully paying attention to what is going on.  There are countless stories on these boards about women who were told their babies had low heart rates at 6 weeks when the rate is commonly low.  Or that the baby is not viable at 5 weeks because a heart beat can't be seen when you often cannot see the heart beat at 5 weeks.  I've even had one friend told that her baby had died at 8 weeks and she went back 2 weeks later when she hadn't miscarried yet and they found a perfectly healthy 10 week old baby in there!  I can't tell you how many times I've been given misinformation regarding breastfeeding or food allergies from "experts."  I've come to learn that I need to do my own research and question, question, question.

So, my point is, you can look at the numbers for yourself and see that your hCG level is in fact perfectly normal and in fact slightly higher than the median of 253 that 260 women reported at 14 DPO and at 13 DPO you are well above the median of 170 that 154 women reported.  I have no idea why your doctor scared you like that.  Especially since the number doesn't mean much- you have to wait to see if the doubling time indicates a viable pregnancy.

I know it's hard not to worry, especially since you had a loss recently.  But, if I were you I would be comforted by the fact that your level is actually totally normal and distract yourself as best you can until Monday when you find out some actually helpful information.  I would give that doctor a piece of my mind, too...

[Jaimee]

Oh, and remember how you got a BFP at 9 DPO?  Would someone with low hCG get a positive that early?  NO.  It's because you actually have higher than average hCG.  Take heart!  Monday's blood work will tell you if there is cause for concern, not this blood work.  

[proud2bemommy]

thanks that makes me feel alot better i just cant go through another loss but your right i really think everything is good:) she says that after my results monday shes gonna do a vaginal ultrasound to see whats going on and yes she does know that i am not very far along i hope all is well she has been my ob with every pregnancy i have had i really hope shes wrong on this one she was wrong with my last pregnancy she said evrything was viable and looking great even when i told her i knew something was wrong and i lost it the day after that appt. and ultrasound

[Jaimee]

Just keep in mind that there really isn't anything to see until 6-8 weeks.  As the stories above illustrated, there can be a bunch more misinformation when u/s are done too early.  Again, if it were me, I would get the hCG levels done maybe even a few times over the next week or so and be comforted by a nice doubling time.  Then I'd wait until at least 6 weeks if not 7 to get an u/s. 

[proud2bemommy]

ill keep that in mind thanks

[proud2bemommy]

got blood test in today at hospital number are 672 the over doubled!!!!!!!

[Jaimee]

Excellent!!  Congrats!  Do you have another one planned for Wednesday?