HCG too high??

I just received my first HCG results after undering going IVF.  My HCG came back at 630 after 4weeks 1 day.  Does this normal? Does this mean twins or triplets?

[Still_AndiJ]

Anytime, I just hope it helped.

Andrea

[suzie68]

Thank you very much Andrea.

[Still_AndiJ]

Here is a range of "normal" levels from a few different sources

* At 14 DPO, the average HCG level is 48 mIU/ml, with a typical range of 17-119 mIU/ml.
* At 15 DPO, the average HCG level is 59 mIU/ml, with a typical range of 17-147 mIU/ml.
* At 16 DPO, the average HCG level is 95 mIU/ml, with a typical range of 33-223 mIU/ml.
* At 17 DPO, the average HCG level is 132 mIU/ml, with a typical range of 17-429 mIU/ml.
* At 18 DPO, the average HCG level is 292 mIU/ml, with a typical range of 70-758 mIU/ml.
* At 19 DPO, the average HCG level is 303 mIU/ml, with a typical range of 111-514 mIU/ml.
* At 20 DPO, the average HCG level is 522 mIU/ml, with a typical range of 135-1690 mIU/ml.
* At 21 DPO, the average HCG level is 1061 mIU/ml, with a typical range of 324-4130 mIU/ml.
* At 22 DPO, the average HCG level is 1287 mIU/ml, with a typical range of 185-3279 mIU/ml.
* At 23 DPO, the average HCG level is 2034 mIU/ml, with a typical range of 506-4660 mIU/ml.
* At 24 DPO, the average HCG level is 2637 mIU/ml, with a typical range of 540-10,000 mIU/ml.

Accordingly, the key to interpreting the true value of HCG measurements is to look at their progression.  In general, the HCG level will double every two to three days in early pregnancy.  Approximately 85 percent of normal pregnancies will have the HCG level double every 72 hours.  However, as you get further along in your pregnancy and the HCG levels get higher, the expected doubling time increases.

* For HCG levels <1200 mIU/ml, the expected doubling time is 48-72 hours.
* For HCG levels 1200 to 6000 mIU/ml, the expected doubling time is 72-96 hours.
* For HCG levels >6000 mIU/ml, the expected doubling time is >96 hours.

HCG levels peak at about eight to 10 weeks of pregnancy and then decline, remaining at lower levels for the rest of the pregnancy.  Here is a sample listing of expected HCG levels based on time after conception:

* 0-1 week: 0-50 mIU/ml
* 1-2 weeks: 40-300 mIU/ml
* 3-4 weeks: 500-6,000 mIU/ml
* 1-2 months: 5,000-200,000 mIU/ml
* 2-3 months: 10,000-100,000 mIU/ml
* 2nd trimester: 3,000-50,000 mIU/ml
* 3rd trimester: 1,000-50,000 mIU/ml
* Non-pregnant females: <5.0 mIU/ml
* Postmenopausal females: <9.5 mIU/ml

http://www.conceivingconcepts.com/learning/articles/hcg.html

PREGNANCY STATUS SERUM hCG LEVELS

from conception  from LMP  (mIU/ML or IU/L)  
7 days  3 weeks  0 to 5  
14 days  28 days  3 to 426  
21 days  35 days  18 to 7,340  
28 days  42 days  1080 to 56,500  
35 - 42 days  49 - 56 days  7,650 to 229,000  
43 - 64 days  57 - 78 days  25,700 to 288,000  
57 - 78 days  79 - 100 days  13,300 to 253,000  
17 - 24 weeks  2nd trimester  4060 to 65,400  
25 wks to term  3rd trimester  3640 to 117,000  
After several days postpartum   nonpregnant levels (<5)"  


"Results in Twin Gestation"
"Quanitative serum hCG tests detect multiple pregnancy approximately 9 weeks earlier than ultrasound. One small study (Jovanovic, 1977) found hCG levels in 15 singleton and 9 twin pregnancies were as follows:


Guideline to hCG levels during pregnancy:
hCG levels in weeks from LMP or in gestational age* :

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 females: <5.0 mIU/ml

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/duringpregnancy/hcglevels.html

Hope these help ; )

Congratulations!

Andrea

[Still_AndiJ]

According to some of the infor I posted, once numbers go over 6,000 it takes 96 hours to double. I had found a good site that gives you your doubling time when you input your numbers. Here it is:

http://www.ivfer.com/hcg.htm

An ultrasound is the gold standard as sometimes the numbers can be misleading. If you are 9 weeks, the ultrasound should be able to pick up baby and a heart beat which should put an end to the numbers game and give you piece of mind.

Andrea

[Ritchys38]

Hello!

The HCG information was so very helpful and informative.  Thank you so much.  I'm currently pregnant, but having problems (spotting, passed a clot, etc.) so I'm considered a threatened miscarriage risk.  When they examined me after I passed a clot, they said my cervix was still closed...so that was a good sign.  I am having my US tomorrow and I'm very anxious.  Anxious to see if everything is ok and anxious to see how far along they say I am.  I think I'm 9 weeks now....but am unsure because they didn't measure my HCG levels until recently.  My doctors office didn't measure my HCG levels until last week, so I'm a bit concerned about the numbers.  On Tuesday, 6/21 the level was 182511.  On Thursday, 6/23 the level was 212439.  The girl that gave me the numbers couldn't explain them to me, so I'm still waiting for a call from the nurse.  When they gave me the first numbers, the doctor told them to tell me that it looks good.  But when they gave me the second number, he didn't leave a comment for me.  I see that the numbers are high, which concerns me...but then again they are in the ranges of the charts....but those are large ranges.  And I thought the numbers should double...but if they are very high...would they double????

I guess I'll just have to wait and see what tomorrow holds.  

I had a mc on Jan 24, 2005...so I'm a bit concerned about this second pregnancy.  

I guess I'm wondering if anyone else has any similar stories, levels, etc.

Thank you.

Ritchys38

[Ritchys38]

Andrea -

Thank you for your feedback.  I know the US is the only way for me to confirm my pregnancy is still viable and to find out the correct gestational age...but I'm just so very nervous about going to this appt.  My last 2 ultrasounds (for my first pregnancy...in which I miscarried) were very hard appts to go thru.  I told my husband that I just might lose my mind if I get bad news again.  I know everything happens for a reason, but it doesn't take away the hurt and the pain that a pregnancy loss brings.  I'm trying to be positive but it's hard soemtimes.  I was feeling pretty good until this morning.  I started having a very dull ache in the area where my left ovary is located.  That's the same dull ache I had right before I started to miscarry in January.  The dull ache has gone away...but my worries haven't.  

Thank you so much for your support and feedback.  It really does help to hear from others.

CS

[PGS]

These HCG's are driving me nuts. Ok, I have been trying for years to get pregnant and finally after using donor eggs. Voila, we are pregnant. My first HCG post ET (3 day) was 401. They drew it again 48 hours later and it was 473. I am so freaked out because we had such a high initial number and now it is barely gone up. Any suggestions as to what might be happening?? I did have a little spotting about 8 days after the transfer, but nothing major.

[Venus8]

I read your post and wanted to offer some words of encouragement. I had a mc last June (04) followed by a D & C. I lost the baby at 8 weeks and did not find out until week 13 b/c I was on progesterone (sometimes hard to expell anything after being on that). With that mc I spotted on and off at week 5 and passed a huge clot during week 7. It was very hard for me b/c I got to hear and see a normal fetal HB 3 different times. Then, in Sept., after only 1 cycle, I found out I was pregnant again. With this pregnancy I started spotting again and also passed a lot of blood and clots during week 9. I was determined I was losing the baby. I went to my Dr. and he told me my cervix was closed and did a quick u/s to make sure the fetus was still there. To my surprise, I did not lose the pregnancy despite the spotting and clots. I also had a dull pain in my left side. My Dr. checked and found it to be a ruptured cyst. This is normal in pregnancy. He put me on progesterone to be safe b/c he did not know if I woudld produce enough of it due to the cyst rupturing so soon. My HCG numbers did not rise like they should have either with this pregnancy. They went up, but did not double every 2-3 days... took them 4-6 days even early on. So I guess my point is that all pregnancies are not alike and there is still some hope. I am not saying that you will have a full term pregnancy b/c anything can happen, but please keep faith and whatever happens, happens for a reason. If you do lose this pregnancy, try again!! Don't give up. I had 2 mc and was for sure I would have a 3rd, however... I have a beautiful 1 month old son to prove that anything is possible.

[Ritchys38]

I'm so very glad I found this website and have been able to communicate with everyone.  I've found the information very helpful and the comments, stories, etc....very enlightening and encouraging.

I went for my US yesterday.  I was a nervous wreck because my husband was running late and they wouldn't wait for him to get there before taking me back.  They did the external US and I could see that there was indeed something in my uterus...but I was still a nervous wreck.  My husband arrived just in time to be able to see the internal US results.  We were both relieved to see the fetus moving (I didn't realize that would be so obvious at this early of the pregnancy) and to see the little heartbeat.  I was still nervous until they told me the heart rate number.  It was so very low in my first pregnancy...I was very nervous to hear what it was in this pregnancy.  The heart rate was 161 and I'm 9 wks and 3 days pregnant.  I was so very relieved after that appt.  The dr. at the imaging center came and talked to us and said he could still see some residual blood in my uterus...but that was probably leftover from the clot I passed last week.  He said it was minimal and that it was completely normal to experience some light spotting after passing a clot.  

I bursted out in tears after we left the imaging center.  I think I was just so relieved to have gotten such good news.  I know that I'm still not out of the woods...that anything could happen and my status could change.  But for now....I'm feel a little bit more calm and content.  I'm still not ready to share my news with others (I've only told a few people that are very, very close to me).  I think I need more time to let it all sink in and for me to get further along.  

Again, thank you all so much for sharing your stories with me and for giving me encouragement.  I wish for the best for everyone as well.  Pregnancy is so complicated.  I never knew all of the statistics until I had problems in January and ended up miscarrying.  I think we all need to share our thoughts and stories...because not everyone has a text book pregnancy.  

CS

[heather703]

I found this post through a search for "High HcG Levels".  At 5 wks 4 days my HcG was 37,996, which is really high according to the ranges I've seen.  My doctor did an ultrasound Monday, and saw one gestational sac and one yolk, but said it was too early to see the fetal pole, so I go back next Monday.  This is my first pregnancy and I am petrified!  I was wondering, with your HcG levels being as high as they are, have you been sick?  I got sick for the first time this am, and I thought it was early to be having morning sickness.  I wondered if it is b/c my numbers are so high.

[Ritchys38]

Hello!

Yes, I've experienced more nausea with this pregnancy than my first one (I had a miscarriage on 24 Jan 05).  In the beginning, I had light nausea during the day but around week 8 I started having food adversions and more nausea at night time.  I've gotten sick twice and just gagged a few other times.  I'm taking all of this as a good sign....meaning things are happening to my body and the hormones are causing changes.  I'm now in week 12 and I'm hoping the nausea starts to subside more from this point on.  I'm still having food adversions (absolutely dispise chicken and most green veggies...which is a problem because I need to eat them).

I'm still so very nervous about this pregnancy.  I'm trying not to worry or stress too much, but I can't help but worry that something could happen, something could change and I might not complete this pregnancy.  I'm just taking it day by day and focusing on taking care of myself.  That's all we can do.

My doctors office assured me that my high HCG levels were normal and that this is the main cause of my nausea.

I go for my next US in 2 weeks.  I'm hoping that appt will put my mind more at ease when I see that things are still progressing.  

Good luck with everything!!!

CS

[heather703]

Thanks for your reply.  Strangely enough, the nausea has gotten better and I've just had a few queasy moments, but no more getting sick!  My OB called in some Zofran and it seems to help.  That's so funny about your food aversions, because I too, can no longer stand chicken - and I used to love it.  My doctor said to eat whatever appeals to me, and I'm keeping my vitamin down, so I'm trying not to stress too much.  Drinking protein shakes since meat does not appeal AT ALL.

I had an ultrasound Tuesday and they saw the heart beat - 137 bpm @ 6wks 2days, and they said I was measuring 6wks 3days, so the doctor seemed very pleased.  It was the most amazing thing to see that little heart blinking away!  
I hope everything continues to go smoothly for you.  You're almost out of the first trimester, so that should be some comfort!
Take care of you!
ht

[Nichter]

My hcg 13 post ovulation was 538. Two days later, one day after missed period was 1450.  Do you think this means twins?

[Butterfly_Baybee2005]

Hello,
My name is Holly. I am 20 years old. I am planning on going off the pill (i have been on it for 3 years now) in November. I hope to get pregnant right away so I can give the news to my in-laws and my parents as an xmas gift. Do people usually have problems conceiving the first few months they go off the pill? How does it work? I also want to lose weight before I have a baby. As it is I am not comfortable in my skin. If anyone has suggestions or would like to chat, please email me at butterfly_baybee2005***@**** I will respond to everyone!
Also, will you only conceive on certain days of the month? I can use as much information as I can