How do the hCG levels in the blood samples confirm pregnancy?

Question

Hi doctor,

I need your help in determining the possibility of pregnancy. Please check the hCG levels determined by my blood work.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your query.

See the beta hCG (human chronic gonadotrophin) levels are borderline, less than five is surely negative of pregnancy but more than five can be anything, either early pregnancy or failed pregnancy or ectopic pregnancy. So it is better to get beta hCG levels repeated as usually the protocol is to get beta hCG repeated after 48 hours and we see whether the levels are increasing or decreasing. Only after that it can be ascertained regarding the pregnancy. Also one ultrasound will be helpful to know the status. What is her last menstrual period and amenorrhea of how many days is there? All these things help in knowing the exact status.

Hope this helps.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

Yes, blood tests and urine tests take time to come positive.

A blood test takes eight days, and a urine test takes at least 13 days to become positive.

No test comes positive two days after sexual activity.

So better to repeat the blood test now and see the levels.

Now the levels should be in the 100s and can be in the 1000s if she is pregnant.

And even ultrasound will also be suggestive of pregnancy by now.

Only by these two means can you rule out pregnancy.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Answer 3

Hello Look for the unprotected sexual intercourse that occurred on 1st September , fertilisation usually occurs on same day and then implantation starts occurring after 4-5 days i.e till 3rd September implantation is not possible. And beta HcG starts increasing only after implantation and also after that it takes 2-3 days for the cells to start producing this hormone. That is why I said that after sexual activity it takes 8 days to start coming positive so it is not possible that her beta HcG will start increasing from 2nd day due to this sexual activity which occurred on 1st September. So chances are that this pregnancy if present may be due to some other sexual activity before 1st September, as urine pregnancy test and beta HcG doesn’t come positive so early according to the normal timeline. Also if you are not able to access the previous reports, what you can do is request her to get beta HcG levels repeated now because it will definitely be positive now in case of pregnancy.