HCG 12 - what does it mean

The birth of a child is one of the most significant events in the life of every person, but at the same time there are many questions, problems, and myths and beliefs. For a long time, scientists have tried to understand the nature of conception, fertilization, development of the embryo in the womb. And there are still a lot of blank spots and mysteries of nature, which are not always logically possible answers. Sometimes the impossible happens, and there are cases when, according to science, pregnancy should come, but it's not there. Desperate couples are looking for all possible ways, down to purely mystical ones, to realize their most cherished dream - to become parents. However, scientists still found a way to help those families who are trying to get pregnant, and for some reason they do not get it.

How can I find out about the onset of pregnancy?

During the planning of the birth of a child, the determining factor determining whether the previous cycle of maturation of a female egg was successful or not is the so-called hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). It begins to be produced in the body of a woman only during pregnancy, and this happens just a few hours after the fertilization of the egg with the sperm. For example, a physician will be able to evaluate the success of an in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure if the result is hCG 12, 25 or 1250 mU / ml in dynamics.

That's why, when there is no way to wait for a delay in the menstrual cycle and do homemade simple tests, they make a special blood test that will clearly show whether there is a pregnancy or not. Similarly, this hormone also shows the development of the embryo.

Too high or low values of hCG may indicate a problem in the development of the fetus, and this should be paid special attention.

What is this hormone - hCG

HCG (short for human chorionic gonadotropin ) is a hormone that appears in the body only during pregnancy. The placenta, which forms around the embryo after the fertilization of the egg, excretes it into the body. Newborn babies, incidentally, retain a very high level of this hormone, which is gradually removed from their body, and somewhere on average to three months of a child's life, the level of hCG begins to correspond to the norms of the hormone content of an adult.

What is the peculiarity of measuring the level of HCG in the blood

The fact is that in the first day and even hours after fertilization, the hormone level almost doubles every two to three days. And such a frantic pace persists up to 11-12 weeks from conception. Then, by the 15th week, the values of the hormone hCG somewhat decrease and then remain at the same level until the termination of pregnancy by birth.

The same hormone in the urine reveals and home tests, but it needs a fairly large level of its content - the first two weeks of pregnancy such tests may not show. Therefore, they are usually done after the delay, then the hormone values will be high enough, and such tests will not "miss" it, but they can not fix those small values that are in the first week or two after fertilization and implantation. If the blood test shows even a meager proportion of the hormone - hCG2 or hCG12, then the urine test shows a second strip, only when it comes to thousands of mU / ml.

Some features of the analysis of the results of hCG

Sometimes, if the level of HCG is significantly lower than the norm corresponding to a certain week of pregnancy, it may be that the embryo has ceased for some reason to develop. If you establish this fact in time, you can avoid many problems for the woman's health. But it is impossible to make a decision after a single test result for the hormone level of hCG. It is necessary to look at the changes in dynamics. In general, it is possible that the analysis shows a woman the result of hCG 12 on day 3 of the menstrual cycle delay. Does this mean that there was an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage? If the test is repeated after 2 days and the hCG level is already 350, then this indicates that the pregnancy develops within the limits of the norm, and there are no reasons for concern. If after two or three days the level of hCG remained at the same level or decreased, then there is no pregnancy or pregnancy, but the embryo could not attach to the walls of the uterus and there was a miscarriage.

What can be confusing

As a rule, doctors take as normal the level of hCG in the non-pregnant state to 5 mU / ml (it is expressed in international units in milliliters). About pregnancy can say the level of hCG from 25 and above, depending on the period.

The result of hCG 12 during pregnancy can indicate an incorrectly defined time. It can also report a possible stop of fetal development or an ectopic pregnancy. Often, women who receive such a result of a blood test begin to panic at the sight of a line - hCG 8 or hCG 12. What this means can only be explained by a qualified doctor who observes the woman. Do not panic. Most likely, the attending physician will prescribe an ultrasound and a repeated blood test, which will show the dynamics of increase or decrease in the level of the hormone in the blood. Note that no doctor has the right to diagnose a frozen pregnancy, miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy according to only one blood test! It is necessary to conduct additional studies and, only having on hand all the results of tests and examinations, you can accurately put the right diagnosis.

Experienced doctors know that the woman's body is not an automatic clock. So far, many functions of the body have not been thoroughly studied. Therefore, do not worry if the result of the test is the result of hCG 9 mU / ml or hCG 12. What time of pregnancy does it mean - time will tell. It is likely late embryo implantation. Better a few days later, repeat the test to know for sure.

What is the change in the level of hCG in IVF

Many couples who for some reason can not get pregnant naturally, decide to use the method of extracorporeal fertilization of the egg. It is extremely important for doctors to measure the level of the hormone in the woman's blood to see if everything went well. It is according to the changes in the level of hCG that one can judge whether the successful development of the embryo in the uterus began. But even if the result is not very high (hCG 12 mU / ml or hCG 15 mU / ml), there is still a chance that the embryos planted will survive and attach.

What is in vitro fertilization

IVF (short for "in vitro fertilization") helps in cases when infertility is caused by severe impairment of ovarian functions that failed to be eliminated by traditional treatment regimens. In fact, these are the so-called "test tube children" - a female egg is impregnated with a sperm not in the body, but in a special laboratory. Fertilized embryos are then inserted into the woman's uterus. After this procedure, doctors closely monitor whether they will get accustomed there or not. Here, the hCG hormone again comes to the rescue, which, like with natural insemination, begins to be produced in the mother's body.

What are the norms of hCG in the body at different weeks of pregnancy

Please note that the following results are approximate and should not be used to make any final decision. The diagnosis is made only by a qualified doctor on the basis of a complete clinical picture of each particular patient.

So, the following norms of hCG level in a woman's body are accepted:

- 1-2 weeks of pregnancy - 25-156 mU / ml.

- 2-3 week of pregnancy - 101-4870 mU / ml.

- 3-4 weeks of pregnancy - 1110-31500 mU / ml.

- 4-5 weeks of pregnancy - 2560-82300 mU / ml.

- 5-6 weeks of pregnancy - 23100-151000 IU / ml.

- 6-7 weeks of pregnancy - 27300-233000 mU / ml.

- 7-11 weeks of pregnancy - 20900-291000 mU / ml.

As can be seen from this table, the spread of the data is huge, so the most important thing you need to pay attention to is the dynamics of the change - every two to three days the figures for HCG should approximately double. If this does not happen, then complications may occur, and it is necessary to consult an expert urgently to avoid possible health problems. This is a possible frozen or ectopic pregnancy.

When it is necessary to take tests for the hCG hormone after embryo implantation

It is desirable, of course, to sustain a pause after the procedure of implanting fertilized embryos, so that the woman's body could adapt to new "residents" and began to respond adequately to the production of the hormone hCG. 12 days after the event, you can already go to donate blood for analysis. As a rule, by this time it will already become clear whether embryos are attached or not in this protocol.

However, in carrying out the IVF procedure, one very important factor must be taken into account: in different cases, different embryos are planted according to the duration of their "life", therefore the result of hCG 12 on day 12 in different protocols does not always mean that embryos did not take root.

Doctors and patients necessarily follow the results of the analysis on the hormone hCG. It is very important for everyone to receive confirmation of the development of the embryo in the woman's womb. But if the hCG 12 test comes on 10 dpp (that is, the day after the transplant), the success of the IVF is a big question. It is not unusual for cases when too slow growth of a hormone can threaten the development of the fetus in the future. It is necessary, together with the attending physician, to discuss the expediency of continuing medical support of this protocol, to weigh all possible risks and consequences.

Some patients with a result of hCG 10 or hCG 12 at 14 dpp themselves decide to stop support and are set up to prepare the body for the subsequent procedure. Of course, such a result is frustrating, but there is always hope for future success.

Low hCG values for IVF

Many future parents are very worried when they see not very high values of HCG by the results of a blood test - not high enough to be sure of the onset of a successful pregnancy, but above the values of the nonpregnant organism. Yes, there are certain risks, but such questions are decided only by the doctor. Despite the fact that inadequate hormone production can talk about a non-attached embryo or its ectopic attachment, however, there is a rather high chance that the entire procedure was successful - it is likely that the test was done too early and uninformative in terms of the result.

In any case, it is necessary to take a balanced approach to the results of the analysis for the presence of the hormone hCG and to make a decision together with the partner and build a strategy for further action under the guidance of a qualified doctor, whom both partners trust in reproduction.