NEED FOR CONCERN?? Low HCG level, but good u/s with a heartbeat visable

[Zoe2B]

I had my first u/s today. I'm at 6 weeks. Saw the yolk sac, fetal pole, and the heartbeat. The lining of the uterus looked good as well. :o)  Felt great when we left. BUT THEN.... the nurse called with the results of our hcg blood test, and it was on the low end. Doc said it's still in the normal range, but lower than they would have expected at 6 weeks. It was 60.6 two weeks ago and today it's at 4355. I'm hoping that maybe I'm only at 5 weeks (if I ovulated late..), and maybe that's why the hcg is on the low end of the scale.  I wish I didn't even do the blood test today so we could just be happy with the results of the u/s. After seeing the u/s, the np didn't see any reason to do the HCG test, but I asked for it, for my own piece of mind - to make sure the numbers were where they should. Now, my husband and I can't help worrying. Does it mean anything to be on that low end of the HCG spectrum???
Thank you so much.

[Keith Downing, MD]

Hello,

hCG levels can vary.  In the presence of a yolk sac and fetal pole with a +fetal heart rate I would consider the hCG level insignificant.

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

Dr. Downing

[Zoe2B]

I couldn't find a profile for you, so hopefully you'll check here. I don't have an ob yet either. Same boat. Wasn't crazy about the first one I met with. I'm being monitored right now by my RE. If I find a good one, I'll let you know!

[supershan]

Hi.  I'm new here.  I am 36 years old.  My first pregnancy was a m/c at 10 weeks (blighted ovum), second pregnancy led to my healthy 7-month old DS, and I'm pregnant again.

I think it is a great sign that you had a heartbeat.  If the heartbeat had been low, I think the tech or the doc would have said something during or after the u/s.  Also, your doc said you are still in the hcg "normal range" which is also great news.  And even though you are measuring a certain fetal age, it could be off by as much as 5 days right now.  So you might be a little behind because you ovulated late or have longer cycles.  I had my u/s at 7 weeks and they dated the baby 6w/6d but were concerned the heartrate was a little low (117-119).  I think the average at 7 weeks is 120-160.

Sooo, I think things sound good, but I know how it is when they just had to say something that wasn't "perfect" (like my fetal heartrate), so hang in there.

On another topic, I see you are from Glendale, AZ.  I'm in Litchfield Park and am trying to decide which OB to use.  I'm not sure about the one I have now.  Do you have any recommendations for OBs in the West Valley?  If so, could you email me through my profile?  Thanks very much and good luck with your pregnancy!

Shan

[kellym]

Okay, that's another thing. MY BOOBS AREN'T SORE!! My Dr. tends to frown upon no symptoms. This is my 4th pregnancy, only 1 dd. (whom is 1 today:)  Anyways, my sister didn't have breast tenderness w/her second.... I did read somewhere that your breast  never truly mature until pregnancy that is what makes them so sore, hmmm... So, I don't know what the heck to think. So when are  you going back? I have to wait until next Thursday, yeah, that's about gonna kill me. Have you had any spotting or anything? With my m/c in July I was spotting early and had a m/c at 6 weeks. Geeze, I just need to be cut a break already! Keep me posted!

[Zoe2B]

He said it was too early to get an accurate heart rate, but from what he could see it was 117. He did it first by counting and got 100, but then he let the computer read it, and it read 117. He says it's very inaccurate this early, and to wait until next week to see what it's at. I remember seeing a post here that someone had a heartrate well below 100, and the following week it shot up to the normal range, so you hang in there too! This is the problem with us getting the u/s this early. It's exciting, but scary, and leaves us with lots to worry about.

Are your boobs sore??? That's my latest worry..... Mine were SO sore about 2 weeks ago, and now they are barely sore (if I press on them they're tender). On the good side, they are still larger than normal, but I'm worried that the soreness should still be there.

[kellym]

Did they tell you what your Hear Rate was? From what I've read, A good hr is more important than hcg. Once they see a good hb they usually stop with the #'s, I thought. Hell, what do I know, I had a bad hb of 89 today and they didn't take blood. I think that your pregnancy sounds good!