HCG Levels: All You Need to Know

What is hCG?

Abbreviated as hCG, human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone produced when the pregnancy is still in its early stages. In fact, hCG is exactly what blood tests and home pregnancy tests detect to confirm a successful conception. hCG is made by the cells forming the placenta, which is the organ responsible for transporting oxygen and other nutrients to the baby in the womb. The hormone is typically found in the woman’s blood and urine after about ten days of fertilisation.

What does the hCG hormone do? hCG has multiple functions, one of them being providing support to the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum is a temporary gland that is formed after ovulation. It produces progesterone, which is an extremely beneficial hormone needed to maintain the uterine lining and support early pregnancy. Not only does hCG keep the gland intact, but it also has other benefits, such as supporting the development of the placenta, regulating hormones, preventing menstruation, and organ development in the foetus.

While hCG has a more pronounced role in pregnant women, the hormone is also present in those who are not pregnant, although the amount is very low or even undetectable. In fact, it is also found in males, again, in much smaller amounts.

Normal hCG Levels

In a typical pregnancy, hCG levels rise rapidly in the early stages, almost doubling every 48 to 72 hours. The hormone levels eventually decline before levelling off for the remainder of the term. hCG levels peak around 9 to 12 weeks. It is difficult to pinpoint an exact range when it comes to “normal hCG levels”, as one person’s normal can differ from another’s. That being said, a general, week-by-week range may look like this:

Signs Your hCG Levels Need Closer Inspection

While hCG numbers alone are incapable of telling the complete story, your healthcare provider may pay closer attention to your condition if you show one or more of the following signs:

• Decreasing hCG levels when they should be rising
• Levels that stabilise instead of increasing over a few days
• A slow rise that does not match the expected pattern
• Heavy bleeding or extreme cramping
• Sharp and one-sided pelvic pain

If you are experiencing any of the above-mentioned signs, the best thing to do is consult your doctor instead of comparing your progress to charts on the internet. After all, each reproductive journey is different.

What Happens if hCG Levels Are Too High or Too Low?

First thing’s first: a single low or high hCG reading on its own is not an immediate red flag, as the numbers can either fluctuate or look different for each individual. This may be because your ovulation timing was different than you think, or you may be earlier or later in your pregnancy than calculated.

That being said, low hCG levels could mean multiple things, the most common being that your pregnancy is still in its earliest stages. In some serious cases, low readings could point to an ectopic pregnancy or even a miscarriage.

On the other hand, higher than expected hCG levels could mean that you are having multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets, etc.) or are experiencing a molar pregnancy, in which the egg and sperm come together to form a non-cancerous tumour resembling a group of grapes.

hCG levels are tested through urine tests or blood tests, and a single reading cannot tell you if there is something wrong in the first place. It is better to track the trend over a few days instead of fixating on one number. Your doctor will most probably ask for another blood test after 48 hours to make sure the numbers are rising as expected.

Conclusion

Any number on a report can feel quite overwhelming when you are hoping for good news. However, hCG levels are simply one part of a much bigger picture, and wide ranges exist for a reason. It is important to know that every pregnancy journey will look a little different, and you do not need to be concerned about every "abnormal"-looking number. In case you are still worried, a quick follow-up with your healthcare provider should do the trick.