HCG level at 440,000 at 8 weeks 0 days

Hello everyone,

I was at the hospital last week for some red spotting, and they did a few tests on me. I was 8 weeks 0 days along, and my HCG level was over 440,000. They did an ultrasound and found what I assume to be one baby since they never mentioned otherwise. The heartbeat was 167, which is good from what I have read.

That hospital doens't have a baby section, so it's possible the doc didn't know if my HCG levels were too high, but I am really worried about this.

The charts that I have seen for 7-8 weeks are 7,650 to 229,000.  I was wondering if this means I am at increased risk for down syndrome? Will the HCG level at 8 weeks even indicate an increased risk for down syndrome?

I am 28 years old with no previous children or pregnancies.

Thanks for any thoughts, I have been driving myself crazy with this.

[tarajanes]

From what i understand high HCG levels does not mean an increase in chance of baby with downs.however im not sure on that.but your levels are high just means good strong pregnancy.talk to your doctor about this,but im sure alls fine.

[1angelbabyM]

It could mean that you havea strong little one in there OR more than one in there!!  It could aslo signify ectopic; however, if they did and u/s they would have seen it...so I don't think you have to worry about that!!  

[30something13]

number don't mean that much except for they take them every 48 hours to make sure they rise right. Each pregnancy and each woman is different. ALso I do know that they do not always see twins till sometimes up to 9-10 weeks if the other one is behind the one they do see.

As long as the baby is growing you are fine and congrats!

[30something13]

eptoic is noted by a low HCG that does not double every 48 hours, but a high can mean blighted ovum but you can not have that cause they see no baby with that and definetly no heartbeat!

[dreamerbabe]

Thanks for the positive comments everyone. I have been absolutely driving myself nuts with this. Between Down syndrome and partial molar pregnancy I have been a mess (thank you yahoo answers)

I am definitely going to discuss this with my doctor, but I don't have a doctor yet. The walk in clinic said it could take up to four months for an OB office to call me back with an appointment, and if no one has called me by 20 weeks to come back in and they will book an ultrasound.

I think I might try the walk in clinic again and see if they will book me for the 11-13 week scan. I think that would ease my mind a bit.

Thanks again for all the positive words, it really has helped.

[tina25]

4 Months??? Sorry i gotta ask where do you live?? I guess I don't understand why a Ob would not give you an appt sooner?

[dreamerbabe]

The girl at the desk said worst case scenario would be four months, I live in Canada, and the OBs here don't accept new patients without referrals from family doctors. Perhaps the not so good OBs accept new patients, I only checked around to a few places that I had checked out online.

I am hoping it will be to closer to a one month wait for the phone call where they let me know if I can even be a patient here.

Obviously baby was a happy surprise or I would have all of this taken care of already.

[kristastewart]

I live in Canada too,  try to find out which OB they reffer too, call the OB"s office and stress your concerns  see if you cant speed the process up a bit.  Generallly their pretty good, 4 months just seems like such a long time. Good luck!

[dreamerbabe]

I went back to the walk in clinic to request an NT ultrasound (I am 10 weeks now) and the doctor said the front desk people hadn't even faxed the form to the OBs office at all. I guess it won't hurt to try phoning the ob office again. I already tried to phone them and make an appointment, but maybe if they know the referral is coming and that I am super stressed about previous test results they will help me sooner.

At the very least the (walk in clinic) doctor ordered another blood test and those results will be back next week. So hopefully everything will be normal next week and I can stop worrying!