hCG and u/s questions?

[lilaries0411]

Hi everyone. Im hoping to find someone who is or went though what Im going through. Over the last few weeks I have been on a Pregnancy roller coaster. I went in to for an early u/s around 5 weeks and they didnt see anything not even the ges. sac. So I went in again at 5w5d. After 2 u/s they finally found a ges sac in my uterus (Wahoo!!! ruled out an ectopic). And tomorrow I have another u/s to see if we can find a yolk and fetal pole. My question is do you know what level your hCG should be at to see the baby and a heartbeat on an u/s. We have been monitoring my hCG levels like crazy and they are looking good..8/13 : 580, 8/16: 2226, 8/19: 6039 and as of yesterday 8/23: 16747. Do you think I should be able to see the little bean tomorrow??? Is it normal for your hCG levels to raise like that?

 

[bumpyboo]

Hi im not sure about the HCG but i would say that your HCG levels are a very good sign taht everything is ok. Fingers crossd you see that little heart beating away xxx

 

[jessica716]

I had a 5 week scan yesterday to rule out ectopic...saw my little blobby but no yolk sac as yet, My levels are at 3000 hgc at moment.

I'm going back on 01/10/10 for a 6 week scan and they've said should be able to see yolk sac and possibly pick up a heartbeat if we're lucky. xx

 

[gemstone]

hi there, u should see something more now, fetal developement is soo fast changing, it is so much different in matter of days.. so i'm sure u will see something :O)

its goes some wat like this 4-5 weeks ges sac 5-6 ges scan and yolk sac 6-6.5 weeks ges sac, yok sac fetal pole. 6.5-7weeks ges sac,yolk sac, fetal and beating heart.
all should b there by then unless ur dates are our by a few days
gd luck :O) xx

 

[GeorgiaMB]

Hi,

I'm studying this in biology at the moment (at uni). HCG levels almost double daily till week 8. At which point they start to decline and by week 16 if you took a pee-stick pregnancy test chances are that it would be negative (would still show up in your blood though). If levels start to decline BEFORE week 8, it often indicates a missed miscarriage, an iminent miscarriage or the fact that your dates are way out and you're closer to week 16 than you think! If they are larger than normal that indicates incorrect dates, a hormonal illness or multiple babies.

HCG arises to prevent the breakdown of the Corpus Luteum (the remnants of the egg which are left over in the ovary post ovulation). The corpus luteum releases estrogen and progesterone to support your pregnancy. It's also thought that HCG helps the formation of the male organs (if you're having a boy) and prevents your body rejecting the foetus. Post 8 weeks the HCG is no longer needed as the placenta takes over the role of producing estrogen and progesterone.

I've never come across the actual figures for the levels before so I can't say if they're normal for your stage in the pregnancy but to be honest, I wouldn't worry too much. As long as they are increasing things should be fine. From what I've read, the heartbeat should be visible on a US from around 7 weeks.

My advice would be to stop monitoring your HCG levels if you don't know what it is you're looking at. Once they start to decline, this will only serve to freak you out. Rely on the scans to tell you how your baby is doing and far along you are. You don't need to be checking your HCG levels daily. Sometimes too much info is a bad thing!

 

[gemstone]

its actually every 48 hrs that they go up. and will continue to til the 8 week.. but doc's like to see at least a 60% increase.. my mother is the head of midwifery, wiv her first class honours degree.. and i do believe that too much info yes can b a bad thing on a pregnant worrying mind.. but i think if u take into account that this lady is going through this then how can u tell her not to feel and worry the way she is.. err bedside mansors wouldn't go a miss! and to tell u the truth babe, nothing will stop u worrying sweetie i hav been where u are now.. i just hope it works a lil beta for as wat i did for me. i miscarried in june after having keyhole surgery after my hcg levels weren't doubling.. but i found out i was pregnant again by july and lil pip is doind really well.. i'm sure u will b fine. try not to worry..sending u sticky dust for ur lil pip and keep me posted xx and georgia if ur thinking about doing some form of nurse i would work on ur ppl skilss.. sorry but it made me mad wen i read that.. how can u tell a mum not to worry about her baby ..

 

[FierceAngel]

spot on gem about rate tht hcg goes up x

 

[gemstone]

sorry just had to say that.. lol
of course we hav every rite to worry about our pregnancies.. its our babies x

 

[ermm23a]

I 'think' I read somewhere that you cannot see a hb until hcg is at least 6,000. Don't take my word on that though bc I can't remember where I saw that....

 

[ttcfurrever]

Found this and thought I would share:

Transvaginal sonography in the evaluation of normal early pregnancy: correlation with HCG level.
Bree RL, Edwards M, Böhm-Vélez M, Beyler S, Roberts J, Mendelson EB.

Department of Diagnostic Radiology, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI 48072.
Comment in:

AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1990 Mar;154(3):656-7.
Abstract
Transvaginal sonography (TVS) is the procedure of choice in evaluating the viability of embryos early in pregnancy. However, viability based on TVS can be assessed more accurately when the exact gestational age from the last menstrual period is known or when the findings are correlated with beta human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) levels. No large series has been reported with correlative data between early pregnancy findings, HCG, and gestational age. We performed 75 transvaginal examinations in 53 patients with proved normal pregnancy in the fifth through seventh weeks of gestation. The presence and size of the gestational sac, presence of a yolk sac, and identification of embryonic heart activity were correlated with the level of HCG. Sac size was correlated with yolk sac and heart activity and the three parameters correlated with gestational age in days. When the level of HCG reached 1000 mIU/ml by using the first International Reference Preparation, a gestational sac was seen sonographically in each patient. When the HCG level reached 7200 mIU/ml, a yolk sac was seen in every patient. Ten of 22 patients with HCG between 1000 and 7200 mIU/ml had a visible yolk sac. Every patient with an HCG level greater than 10,800 mIU/ml had a visible embryo with a heartbeat. A discriminatory level of 32 days was found for the presence of a gestational sac. A yolk sac was first seen in every patient between 36 and 40 days. Every patient with accurate dates greater than 40 days had an embryo with a heartbeat identified. When correlating sac size with structures within the sac, a yolk sac was first seen in a gestational sac between 6 and 9 mm and a heartbeat seen in every patient with a 9-mm or greater gestational sac diameter. These data allow identification of normal intrauterine pregnancy and distinction of normal from ectopic gestation at least 1 week earlier than is possible with transabdominal techniques.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2660539