Do you know your hcg levels?

[matey]

Do you know your hcg levels? I got mine today. I am at 4 weeks, 4 days, acoording to the doctor. My hcg level is 829.3. I am hoping that doesnt suck.

[AmazoniaBelly]

Hi Matey,

I just found this online....

3 weeks LMP 5 - 50 mIU/ml
4 weeks LMP 5 - 426 mIU/ml
5 weeks LMP 18 - 7,340 mIU/ml
6 weeks LMP 1,080 - 56,500 mIU/ml
7 - 8 weeks LMP 7, 650 - 229,000 mIU/ml
9 - 12 weeks LMP 25,700 - 288,000 mIU/ml
13 - 16 weeks LMP 13,300 - 254,000 mIU/ml
17 - 24 weeks LMP 4,060 - 165,400 mIU/ml
25 - 40 weeks LMP 3,640 - 117,000 mIU/ml
non pregnant 55-200 ng/ml

[matey]

My nurse wanted me at 1000, but I am only at 4 weeks 2-4 days. I think I am ok. I will not fret.

[happyfrog]

nope and don't care! :)

I say that after having had many many interventions.

short story. took me 10 years to have my first child here on earth. you name it, we did it. we spent over $500K to get pregnant - and then we ran out of money. Ended up getting pregnant with a keeper 'naturally' (accidently!) on a rest cycle.

then 14 months after the birth of first child, we visited in laws in Las Vegas. We came home with a souvenir (my second child.)

I had a lot of interventions/monitoring/etc with first living child. We had experienced multiple pregnancy losses prior to that. I was on all sorts of meds to stay pg and they didn't work before my ds 3.8.04

So, this pg, I want NO interventions. No u/s I don't care about gender or if child has 2 heads. What will happen will happen and we'll worry about anything after birth. The only thing I did do was poas because I can't help myself, lol.

At this stage of pg, if I'm going to m/c, I 'm going to m/c whether or not my hcg level is 200 or 200,000 and none of the interventions are going to change that. btdt . . . .

Maybe I'm just really different.

[bobandjess99]

No, I don't. ....Might I ask...did you go through fertility treatment to get pg? Is that why7 you are having your hcg checked? Or perhaps you have a history of m/c?
I'm going to say that few of the ladies on this board are goig to know their hcg levels......most of us, being the "natural family living" kinds of gals we are, are not into lots of intervention and testing/monitoring, etc. In general, it's not even standard of care to check hcg..even OB's don't do that routinely......and quite a few of us are using midwives or going UP/UC.......
If you have fertility concerns, ther are some great fertiltiy boards out there which have a more pro-medical feel to themn, you might be able to get more info there. I personally also visit a PCOS infertility board to get some more "medical" types of info, since this board doesn't have a lot of that......

good luck!

[ceay05]

I am getting mine checked beacuse of previous mc. I wish I wasn't because they a re super low. I was 21 at 12dpo and 54 and 14 dpo. They did double so i am trying to stay optimistic. My progestone was also 16 which is good.

[Momma2DoubleCuties]

I haven't had mine checked with this pregnancy. Yet. Not sure if the m/w will be requesting one or not.

[ChioMamaPT]

I know my numbers up to this point and have already had two ultrasounds. I have fertility issues and a history of multiple miscarraiges. I don't think knowing this information makes me any less "natural." My doctor is just keeping a close eye on things.

My numbers are:
13 DPO 49
16 DPO 95
20 DPO 505
24 DPO 2418

At my appointment on 24 DPO we saw a little bean (well, just the sac) on ultrasound.

[*knittingmomma*]

I haven't had mine checked, I didn't when pregnant with dd either. I could see how it might make me feel more reassured, but it also might make me more stressed also. Anyway, just hoping that the symptoms stick around, funny how feeling on the verge of puking all the time is reassuring!

[matey]

No, I don't. ....Might I ask...did you go through fertility treatment to get pg? Is that why7 you are having your hcg checked? Or perhaps you have a history of m/c?
I'm going to say that few of the ladies on this board are goig to know their hcg levels......most of us, being the "natural family living" kinds of gals we are, are not into lots of intervention and testing/monitoring, etc. In general, it's not even standard of care to check hcg..even OB's don't do that routinely......and quite a few of us are using midwives or going UP/UC.......
If you have fertility concerns, ther are some great fertiltiy boards out there which have a more pro-medical feel to themn, you might be able to get more info there. I personally also visit a PCOS infertility board to get some more "medical" types of info, since this board doesn't have a lot of that......

good luck!


I was only asking because I got mine checked due to previous m/c. I am also the "natural family living" type, although midwives are pretty much altother illegal where I am. The one legal midwife costs more than I can afford, so I dont really have that option. I was asking people on here because I noticed a number of the women had mentioned previous m/c.

[matey]

I know my numbers up to this point and have already had two ultrasounds. I have fertility issues and a history of multiple miscarraiges. I don't think knowing this information makes me any less "natural." My doctor is just keeping a close eye on things.

My numbers are:
13 DPO 49
16 DPO 95
20 DPO 505
24 DPO 2418

At my appointment on 24 DPO we saw a little bean (well, just the sac) on ultrasound.

Thank you for sharing your numbers, I need to check how many DPO I am, but my dr.s nurse was starting to freak me out, but with the help of the internet, and seeing yours I feel better. I agree that knowing it does not make us any less "natural"

Ceay05 - I read that the numbers doubling is the important part, so dont be discouraged. :hug

[jillybeans]

not in your ddc, but i saw the post was about hcg's and had to pop in lol.

Mine were awful with this one at first. They didn't double, then barely doubled, then didn't,etc. They told me multiple times I would m/c, and we'd never even see a hb. But we did...twice, and i'm now 11weeks pregnant!

Don't pay too much attention to the numbers. I got so freaked out about them(for obvious reasons) and everything turned out fine. :hug Plus, that number is great! At 4w4d mine was only like 159.

[SandraS]

My doc doesn't do them... says it just adds unnecessary stress to low-risk mamas.

[matey]

So, yesterday I got a call from the Dr. about my bloodwork. On wednesday my HCG was at 17,100 and on Friday it was only at 18,900. They had me go in for an ultrasound at a fancy maternal fetal clinic and I guess they were concerned about an eptopic pregnancy.

When I got to the office I went the bathroom and there was a little blood, it looked almost like some lining or something, I dont know. I was freaking out!

We did the ultrasound, I expected to hear it was all over. But it isnt! The baby was there, with a beating heart. I saw it and heard it. The heart rate was 148. My baby is alive!

The dr. called me about 20 minutes later, said everything looked good, but that my level were progreesing slowly and the progesterone had fallen a little. So he put my on pogesterone suppositories.

The first time I saw the nurse at 4 weeks they wanted to schedule a dr. appointment in 4 weeks. I insisted on 2 weeks. That is the only reason the most recent blood work was done. If I hadnt pushed for a sooner appoinment, it may have been to late, since 4 weeks would have put me at the same point that I lost the baby last time.

I am so thankful we have caught this! If I hadnt been checking my HCG level my baby would have m/c for sure. Of course, I am not out of the water, but I am a step closer.

[Brisen]

Popping in from another DDC...

matey, I'm glad you caught that in time! Good for you for being in tune with your body & getting what you needed.

I'm pg now after 4 losses, so my mws did check my hCG -- they consider it routine if there is a history of m/c, despite their being supportive of natural ways (my mw pulled out "Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year" when we were discussing my varicose veins :p).

[Isis]

So, yesterday I got a call from the Dr. about my bloodwork. On wednesday my HCG was at 17,100 and on Friday it was only at 18,900. They had me go in for an ultrasound at a fancy maternal fetal clinic and I guess they were concerned about an eptopic pregnancy.

When I got to the office I went the bathroom and there was a little blood, it looked almost like some lining or something, I dont know. I was freaking out!

We did the ultrasound, I expected to hear it was all over. But it isnt! The baby was there, with a beating heart. I saw it and heard it. The heart rate was 148. My baby is alive!

The dr. called me about 20 minutes later, said everything looked good, but that my level were progreesing slowly and the progesterone had fallen a little. So he put my on pogesterone suppositories.

The first time I saw the nurse at 4 weeks they wanted to schedule a dr. appointment in 4 weeks. I insisted on 2 weeks. That is the only reason the most recent blood work was done. If I hadnt pushed for a sooner appoinment, it may have been to late, since 4 weeks would have put me at the same point that I lost the baby last time.

I am so thankful we have caught this! If I hadnt been checking my HCG level my baby would have m/c for sure. Of course, I am not out of the water, but I am a step closer.

I don't understand why you think you would've lost it. Decreasing progesterone (from what my RE & OB have told me) is not a reason for a m/c. Sometimes there is "speculation" that low progesterone can be a cause but most don't believe that's true. Anyways, just curious as why you think checking your HCG helped save your baby? It sounds to me as though you weren't at risk... which is a good thing! :) Congrats on the healthy u/s!

[matey]

My progesterone was low, too low, and without the right amount of progesterone, a healthy pregnancy cannot be sustained. Checking the HCG levels, mainly my pushing for it, allowed them to see the HCG numbers were not going up as fast as they should be, which can signal concern in the pregnancy, and also, concern that progesterone levels are too low.

I have known of woman, here and IRL that have experienced multiple miscarriages before receiving progesterone treatment. After receiving the treatment, they are able to carry their pregnancies to the point that the placenta can take over with the progesterone. I have a deficient luteal phase, which I have always wondered about being linked to a concern with progesterone production. Had I not gotten the blood work, I would not be able to try and take care of the problem.

I know my pregancy would not have made it because my levels began dropping, which means the pregnancy would not have lasted. It still may not. The thing is I dont know, but this is obviously one problem. Having lost one baby, and suffering the horrible pain it caused, I am doing everything I can to keep from losing another.

[Free Thinker]

I am so glad you caught it! i think we all need to so the measures we feel necessary when it comes to our bodies and our babies. I've got my fingers crossed it all works out this time!

[Isis]

My progesterone was low, too low, and without the right amount of progesterone, a healthy pregnancy cannot be sustained. Checking the HCG levels, mainly my pushing for it, allowed them to see the HCG numbers were not going up as fast as they should be, which can signal concern in the pregnancy, and also, concern that progesterone levels are too low.

I have known of woman, here and IRL that have experienced multiple miscarriages before receiving progesterone treatment. After receiving the treatment, they are able to carry their pregnancies to the point that the placenta can take over with the progesterone. I have a deficient luteal phase, which I have always wondered about being linked to a concern with progesterone production. Had I not gotten the blood work, I would not be able to try and take care of the problem.

I know my pregancy would not have made it because my levels began dropping, which means the pregnancy would not have lasted. It still may not. The thing is I dont know, but this is obviously one problem. Having lost one baby, and suffering the horrible pain it caused, I am doing everything I can to keep from losing another.

I was just curious. I know some Drs believe the progesterone theory and some do not. I guess it's just each woman is different. I understand your concern. I've had a loss and suffer from infertility... so I can relate! (((hugs)))

[Brisen]

Sometimes there is "speculation" that low progesterone can be a cause but most don't believe that's true.

Really? That hasn't been my experience. I suspected low progesterone and my mw agreed that it could be causing my multiple m/c (like matey, I had a short luteal phase, that's what made me suspect low progesterone), so they checked my hCG levels and set up an appointment with an OB who could check my progesterone and prescribe me progesterone supplements if it were low. I was already taking herbs that boost progesterone production, so I decided to forgo that, and my hCG levels were nice and high and I have kept this pg so far, where I had 4 m/c in a row before I started taking the prog-boosting herbs. And again and again in the ttc forum and preg after loss forum, there are accounts of women who have had losses, then took progesterone -- either because their dr/mw recommended it or because they did the research themselves -- and they didn't m/c. True, that's all anecdotal. But it hasn't been my experience that "most" don't think it's true.

[Isis]

Really? That hasn't been my experience. I suspected low progesterone and my mw agreed that it could be causing my multiple m/c (like matey, I had a short luteal phase, that's what made me suspect low progesterone), so they checked my hCG levels and set up an appointment with an OB who could check my progesterone and prescribe me progesterone supplements if it were low. I was already taking herbs that boost progesterone production, so I decided to forgo that, and my hCG levels were nice and high and I have kept this pg so far, where I had 4 m/c in a row before I started taking the prog-boosting herbs. And again and again in the ttc forum and preg after loss forum, there are accounts of women who have had losses, then took progesterone -- either because their dr/mw recommended it or because they did the research themselves -- and they didn't m/c. True, that's all anecdotal. But it hasn't been my experience that "most" don't think it's true.

Well, maybe I should say "most" of the Drs that I have dealth with. Both my reproductive endo. and my OB said that there was no real scientific evidence to prove that low progesterone is the cause of a m/c. I've taken it after my treatments as a precautionary pill but they've both told me that they didn't know if it helps or not. I think maybe for someone that has a short luteal phase like yourself or the OP (which I wasn't aware of until she told me so) that it's obviously doing something! :) I was just curious what other Drs were saying. It's interesting learning how other women & Drs treat pregnancies, etc.