Blood on HCG - what is it, when to take, the results

One of the most accurate methods of determining pregnancy in the early term is the blood test for the amount of hormone content of hCG. Beta-particle of human chorionic gonadotropin is a unique unit of glycoprotein, which is produced after the embryo is attached to the uterus. Its blood indices vary depending on the timing of pregnancy and play an important role in the synthesis of hormones of estradiol, progesterone and estriol. Interested in its "interesting" position it will not be difficult to accurately determine the presence of pregnancy, having donated blood to hCG. What is it, how is the procedure going, when to go through it and how to evaluate the results, let's consider in the article.

What is HCG?

Human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone with a protein structure. It is produced by the tissues of the developing embryo throughout the entire period of gestation. Due to this substance, ovarian function is suppressed. Stop to mature new eggs, and the next menstruation does not come. HCG tunes the female body to bear pregnancy, contributing to the implementation of hormonal changes.

This glycoprotein consists of two particles: alpha and beta. Alpha-hCG is similar to other body hormones, while the beta-unit is unique. Therefore, when carrying out the analysis, they focus precisely on the concentration of the beta particle.

A small presence of a hormone in the human body is considered normal in the absence of pregnancy. It is produced by the pituitary gland. Sometimes some hormone is found in the body of men and non-pregnant women. The norm of hCG in the blood is up to 5 mIU / ml, and for women in the period of menopause - up to 9.5 mIU / ml.

How to determine pregnancy by blood test?

The level of human chorionic gonadotropin in the body of a woman has become a universal indicator of pregnancy. Express strips are arranged just on this principle. They react to the level of the hormone in the urine, which begins to increase markedly within 2 weeks after fertilization. However, the tests are not always accurate, moreover, with their help, it is impossible to say exactly about the term of pregnancy. Therefore, women who presume the conception is recommended to donate blood to HCG. What is it? A routine procedure performed in any private or public laboratory.

The results obtained are of high accuracy. Many women are interested in the question: "Blood on HCG when it shows pregnancy?" Obstetricians-gynecologists recommend not to hurry and think about the analysis only after a delay. The minimum period after which it is possible to determine pregnancy is 7 days from conception.

When can I donate HCG?

Despite the fact that the blood test - a highly accurate and affordable method that allows you to know about pregnancy, it is worth considering the timing of it. Of course, nothing prevents from going to the diagnostic laboratory a couple of days after conception. But the results of such an analysis will not be reliable. And yet when can I donate blood for HCG to get accurate data on pregnancy? Doctors recommend the following terms:

• If a woman knows exactly the day of conception, then from him it is necessary to count 2 weeks. On the date received and schedule the analysis;
• In cases where it is impossible to determine the moment of conception, it is advisable to submit the analysis 3 weeks after the day of delay in menstruation.

To obtain reliable results, you should be patient and wait for the recommended period.

How to take the analysis and how much does it cost?

Inexperienced in matters of pregnancy and motherhood, women are asked a lot of questions about the analysis. How to take HCG, what rules should be observed? In fact, everything is much easier than it seems. Blood on HCG is taken from the ulnar vein in an amount of 5 ml. It is advisable to come for analysis in the morning and before the procedure do not eat anything. Before receiving a referral, it is better to warn about taking medications. This may affect the results of the study.

What is the cost of the analysis of "blood on HCG"? The price may vary depending on the laboratory. On average, the service will be 500 rubles, in the capital - about 800 rubles. This applies to private clinics and diagnostic centers. Direction in a budgetary institution at the place of residence is given free of charge.

Interpretation of primary results

Determining with when it's better to donate blood to HCG, after going through the procedure and getting the coveted result, I want to know more about what figures mean on the extract of the analysis. Perhaps three options for the development of events:

1. Negative - the hormone is defined in the size from 0 to 5 mIU / ml.
2. Doubtful - the chorion values are fixed in the range of 5-25 mIU / ml.
3. Positive - hCG in the blood exceeds 25 mIU / ml.

If you get a doubtful result (a slight increase in the hormone), it is recommended that you re-analyze after a few days. In this case it is desirable to observe the same conditions for blood sampling and diagnosis: to come to the same clinic, at the same time, and on an empty stomach. The new result is compared with the previous one. If the deviation in one direction or another is preserved and exceeds 50% of the norm, a conclusion is made about the presence of a pathological process (a sign of tumors). In the case of a 20% deviation from the established values, the result is again questioned when assigning a new study. In some cases, with the stability of the results and the absence of pathologies, a conclusion is drawn about the individual level of the hormone of the chorion in the blood.

A single analysis is performed only if a negative result is obtained, which does not arise over time. When confirming pregnancy, you need to periodically monitor the hormone of the hCG of blood.

Changes in the results of tests for the weeks of pregnancy

In the first weeks of pregnancy, the level of the hormone of the chorion in the blood increases significantly. The growth rate is considered in the days required for its doubling:

• Term up to 6 weeks - 2;
• 6-8 weeks - 3;
• 8-10 weeks - 4.

By the 11th week of pregnancy, the result of a blood test for hCG will show the maximum value. Then the gradual decrease begins. At 16 weeks, the indicator will be identical to the 7-week pregnancy. In the remaining term of gestation, the hormone level will remain stable.

The spread of the hormone level of the chorion is very high: all variants in the specified range are considered the norm. In addition, only the doctor will be able to interpret the results reliably. Sometimes the individual bar of the hormone in the blood is somewhat higher or lower than the standard.

The indicators of hCG in IVF

If a woman has undergone an IVF procedure, the procedure for the analysis will change somewhat. Blood on HCG when the pregnancy shows in this case? The answer of specialists is this: the procedure should be performed no earlier than 12 days after the injection with the hormone of the chorion. The table shows the mean values of hCG in the blood after implantation of the embryo into the uterine cavity.

How to take HCG, if the injections with its contents were prescribed after the implantation of the embryo in order to maintain the work of the corpus luteum? You should wait a few days before doing the analysis. Otherwise, the results will be overstated.

High rates of hCG in the blood

Most pregnant women are almost unaware of what their hCG level is. If everything is in order, the doctor rarely tells the future mother about the results of each examination. It's another matter when problems arise. HCG in the blood may be above or below normal. And only with rare exception it does not speak about pathology of fetal development or maternal health.

What do the overestimated figures in the analysis of hCG hide? At times nothing serious: wrong statement of term or a multiple pregnancy. However, often the suspicion falls on the presence of a woman with diabetes, toxicosis or pathologies in the development of the embryo. If an increased level of hCG in the blood is prescribed, repeated analysis and an additional examination of the future mother.

Low hCG

The level of the hormone of the chorion in the woman's blood allows you to accurately not only detect pregnancy in the early stages, but also to follow the development of the embryo throughout the entire period of gestation. HCG is a specific hormone of motherhood. His understated indicators, as a rule, speak of violations of pregnancy:

• Threat of miscarriage;
• Delay in embryo development;
• Death of the fetus;
• "Fading" of the embryo;
• Ectopic pregnancy;
• Pathology of the placenta or fetus.

Any deviation from the norm in the results of the analysis on HCG is an alarming sign, which requires an immediate consultation with a doctor.

Should I rely on the results of the analysis?

And yet, the blood on HCG - what is it? How trustworthy is a typical laboratory analysis? This procedure is similar to taking blood for hormones, because hCG is one of them. The reliability of the result at a high level: inaccuracies occur rarely, usually due to the use of drugs or the use of specific products on the eve of the analysis.

Laboratory tests can give a false positive or false-negative answer. In the first case, a high level of hCG, typical for a pregnant woman, will be determined. Only after a while it turns out that there is no embryo in the uterine cavity. Why is this happening? There are few options: either the drugs taken by the woman (including the HCG content) are to blame, or it is a serious sign of pathology.

A false negative result usually occurs when the analysis is carried out too early. There are also anomalies of embryo development in the early stages. In any case, reassessment and ultrasound are prescribed.

conclusions

Blood on HCG - what is it? It turns out that a standard and very informative analysis. With its help, it is possible to diagnose pregnancy with high accuracy already 2 weeks after conception. HCG is a specific hormone produced by the tissues of the chorion (subsequently the placenta). After implantation of the embryo into the uterine cavity, its amount increases dramatically, stimulating the restructuring of the body for the fetation of the fetus. The indicators of hCG as well as possible characterize the pregnancy and in time notify the future mother not only about the "interesting" situation, but also the failures in the development of the baby.