# HCG levels at 4 weeks



## KirinM

Hi ladies,

I've got a history of ectopic and early miscarriage. My new GP is a nightmare and won't refer me to the EPU until I'm 5 weeks but I forced them to do bloods although they won't do them every 48 hours.

Got my results today from 4+2 which were 328. He suggested that was low but I know with my ectopic I only ever got to about 150 and my miscarriages were about that level at 5 weeks. 

Do any of you know what your levels were at about the same time and is everything okay?


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## Linnypops

Hi love, that would be about 16dpo right? GP's say that kind of thing about hcg's in early pregnancy because levels are low then but it's all in the context. In fact you are on the high side of average levels according to betabase : https://www.betabase.info/showDailyData.php?type=basic&multiples=Single&dpo=16 

And for further reassurance - this study was a great personal help to me after i got my levels back but before i had an ultrasound: https://www.squidoo.com/16dpo
Scroll down to the bottom where the study info is posted. 

Of course, no amount of hcg levels or studies can guarantee anything for us - but highish early levels of HCG seem to be extremely good indicator of continuing pregnancy and of it being a uterine pregnancy (according to a lot of IVF studies). You will hear examples of ectopics with high hcg's but it is so incredibly rare! So - I know it's hard but try to relax....The ultrasound will confirm things but it looks extremely good from where i'm sitting! 

Lx


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## KirinM

Linnypops said:


> Hi love, that would be about 16dpo right? GP's say that kind of thing about hcg's in early pregnancy because levels are low then but it's all in the context. In fact you are on the high side of average levels according to betabase : https://www.betabase.info/showDailyData.php?type=basic&multiples=Single&dpo=16
> 
> And for further reassurance - this study was a great personal help to me after i got my levels back but before i had an ultrasound: https://www.squidoo.com/16dpo
> Scroll down to the bottom where the study info is posted.
> 
> Of course, no amount of hcg levels or studies can guarantee anything for us - but highish early levels of HCG seem to be extremely good indicator of continuing pregnancy and of it being a uterine pregnancy (according to a lot of IVF studies). You will hear examples of ectopics with high hcg's but it is so incredibly rare! So - I know it's hard but try to relax....The ultrasound will confirm things but it looks extremely good from where i'm sitting!
> 
> Lx

Thank you for responding. It's really very reassuring and that study is really interesting. Yes it was 16dpo. 

Thanks so much x


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## dairymomma

There's no reason you should be told 328 is low for 4+2. With my current pg, I was at 38 at 12dpo and 236 at 4+3. I'm consistently on the lower end of the 'normal' range for hCG during pregnancy and, with my history of recurrent miscarriage, it's hard to see those numbers staying low. However my doctors have all told me it's not so much how high they are but how *fast they rise*. Do you have a follow up blood test in a few days to see if your levels are doubling normally?


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## KirinM

dairymomma said:


> There's no reason you should be told 328 is low for 4+2. With my current pg, I was at 38 at 12dpo and 236 at 4+3. I'm consistently on the lower end of the 'normal' range for hCG during pregnancy and, with my history of recurrent miscarriage, it's hard to see those numbers staying low. However my doctors have all told me it's not so much how high they are but how *fast they rise*. Do you have a follow up blood test in a few days to see if your levels are doubling normally?

I don't think doctors think about what they're saying most of the time. I had to ask for the number because all he initially said was, you're pregnant. :dohh:

I have repeat bloods next Tuesday which is 5+2. I still want to be seen in the EPU though as whilst I know doubling is what they want to see, I'd want more than 2 lots of bloods done to make sure it's right and waiting a week in between if it did turn out to be anything bad, is dangerous.


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## dairymomma

No doctors don't always think about what they are saying. My regular doctor told me straight out that even though my numbers were doubling normally, I was going to miscarry. I was only 4+3 and everything was looking good but she was thinking of my history of recurrent miscarriage and going by my supposed lmp which put me at 5+4. Trouble is my last menstrual period was actually my miscarriage and I KNOW I didn't ovulate until 3 weeks post-miscarriage. She wouldn't listen. Since then, I've had 3 ultrasounds that have confirmed MY dates (not hers) and I've switched to a more encouraging and supportive OB doctor. SO glad I did.

And I agree. Waiting an extended period of time between labs can be dangerous but I would try not to worry. As Linnypops said, normally rising hcg levels with ectopics aren't that common. I would push for more bloods if you can because even if they don't do much, they can give you a tad more hope to see that things are rising normally.

Just out of curiousity, how many miscarriages have you had total? (If you don't mind me asking that is...) Have you been offered any sort of testing to see why you have had early miscarriages? I know early recurrent miscarriage can often be proven to be something as simple as thyroid problems or progesterone deficiency. I've had 8 miscarriages total and so far the only thing we know is I have low progesterone levels.


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## KirinM

dairymomma said:


> No doctors don't always think about what they are saying. My regular doctor told me straight out that even though my numbers were doubling normally, I was going to miscarry. I was only 4+3 and everything was looking good but she was thinking of my history of recurrent miscarriage and going by my supposed lmp which put me at 5+4. Trouble is my last menstrual period was actually my miscarriage and I KNOW I didn't ovulate until 3 weeks post-miscarriage. She wouldn't listen. Since then, I've had 3 ultrasounds that have confirmed MY dates (not hers) and I've switched to a more encouraging and supportive OB doctor. SO glad I did.
> 
> And I agree. Waiting an extended period of time between labs can be dangerous but I would try not to worry. As Linnypops said, normally rising hcg levels with ectopics aren't that common. I would push for more bloods if you can because even if they don't do much, they can give you a tad more hope to see that things are rising normally.
> 
> Just out of curiousity, how many miscarriages have you had total? (If you don't mind me asking that is...) Have you been offered any sort of testing to see why you have had early miscarriages? I know early recurrent miscarriage can often be proven to be something as simple as thyroid problems or progesterone deficiency. I've had 8 miscarriages total and so far the only thing we know is I have low progesterone levels.

I had an ectopic and two early miscarriages. To be honest after my second miscarriage I gave up. My marriage ended and I'm in a new relationship and this is my first pregnancy. I always had low progesterone levels in my previous pregnancies. 

The only difference in my life now is that I've been taking folic acid for a while. I take medication which significantly reduces my folate levels so have to take a high dosage and I have been taken then religiously for a few months. I don't know if folic acid has any effect on progesterone but so far things are going better than any of the others.


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## Linnypops

Kirin, you can help your progesterone levels yourself if that's what's worrying you. There's a lot of research about vitamins, foods and natural progesterone cream out there. I take b6 and use progesterone cream after my own research. I wouldn't suggest anyone does it without their own research, you are the mother and depends on what you feel comfortable with... But it's an option you could look in to . Anyway, it's great this pregnancy is progressing well! X


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## rn2011

My level at 4 weeks 1 day was 37.7, at 4 weeks 3 days it was 125 and at 5 weeks 1 day, 1016. I a now 12 weeks and baby looks great!


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## KirinM

Linnypops said:


> Kirin, you can help your progesterone levels yourself if that's what's worrying you. There's a lot of research about vitamins, foods and natural progesterone cream out there. I take b6 and use progesterone cream after my own research. I wouldn't suggest anyone does it without their own research, you are the mother and depends on what you feel comfortable with... But it's an option you could look in to . Anyway, it's great this pregnancy is progressing well! X

I don't actually know if I have low progesterone as no investigations were carried out after my miscarriages and ectopic but I just remember my levels were always quite low.

I'm going to push for a referral to the EPU this week as my boyfriend said that I'm clearly anxious and being much quieter than normal.


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## Linnypops

Kirin - many epus will allow self referrals after previous mcs... You can call a few in your area, or if you google epau in your county you should get the site with a list of them and how you can get seen. Progesterone can be a chicken and egg because a failing pregnancy will have low progesterone naturally. The only way to know if your levels are naturally low is a progesterone test when not pregnant. Or else if you gave a short luteal phase and/or spotting before af it can show low levels....so, might not be anything to be concerned about with this pregnancy. I hope you get seen soon and start to enjoy your pregnancy.


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## KirinM

Thank you Linnypops. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I'm having bloods taken tomorrow and will ask for a doctor to call me and refer me to the epu as well. I've had a search and the two EPUs in Bristol don't allow self referral. 

I really really want to enjoy this pregnancy. Just knowing it's in the right place will calm me down x


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