Hormone Levels for 6 weeks?

[Crystal725]

Hi! I have a question because the practice I go to just called me with my test results. They reassured me that my levels are right in line for my pregnancy but after doing some research, I feel like they might be too low. As I have a history of miscarriages, I am very worried. So here's my results.

According to my last menstrual period, which I am positive about, I was 6 weeks 2 days pregnant when I had my blood drawn to find out my HCG and Progesterone levels. (My last period started on September 24th)
HCG was at 13,182
Progesterone was at 7.3

The nurse who called me said that according to her charts, I may be a little further along then I think.....Which doesn't make any sense to me....And I am not sure if I am understanding what she is telling me properly.

My previous pregnancies both ended with having to have a d&c. My first one was a blighted ovum which was detected at around 10 weeks. The second miscarriage was no heartbeat detected/ sizing around 7.5 weeks and a collapsing sac at around 11 weeks.

I did have testing done after the second miscarriage and was told that it was not my progesterone that made the pregnancy non viable. I am trying to be more optimistic about this pregnancy but I also do not want to get my hopes up. Please let me know if these numbers sound right to any of you. :/

 

[Celesse]

I think hCG levels vary a LOT. Do you know when you ovulated? You could have ovulated earlier.

For comparison: mine were 8000 at 5+4 and 30000at 6+3. A scan at 5+6 showed 2 sacs, though I'm bleeding and could be loosing one.

 

[Crystal725]

I am almost positive I ovulated October 6th as I had some cramping. It's not so much the HCG levels that I am worried about more or less the Progesterone. Everything I have read seems to indicate that 7.3 is low.

 

[Crystal725]

I am also quite confused as to why the nurse, given all the information she has, would tell me she thinks based off of my results, that I am further along. That doesn't make sense to me. I'm wondering if I am misunderstanding how all these tests work.

 

[pinkpassion]

Personally I think your HCG is fine, but I think you need to demand progesterone supp. .. My progesterone went from 16 to 14 in two days and I demanded progesterone supp, although they had already decided I was going to be put on them if they dropped.. my dr is sure that my low progesterone caused my mmc last time, however there is nothing that I have ever been able to find that correlates low progesterone with mmc... but she said that she thinks the low progesterone caused my lining to be thinner which caused the baby to not be as supported as should have been because after the d&c my baby was sent off for genetic tests and my baby was normal and healthy, so no genetic defect that would have caused the mmc.... anyway.. I dont mean to say that all to scare you, I'm just saying I would demand supplements.. Im on 100mg progesterone suppositories once in the evening when I go to bed, I leave it in all night, or until I get up to go potty... so far my baby is perfect and healthy!!! Keep us updated!! Good luck!

 

[Crystal725]

Thanks! I was thinking that but I am just so confused as to why the nurse said my progesterone is just about where it needs to be for how far along I am. Wouldn't she know that that is obviously very low?
After my first two miscarriages I did get my progesterone levels tested and they said it came back normal, although the place I went to for that was not very communicative nor informative so I have no idea what my numbers are at normally.
*Sigh* I just absolutely hate having to second guess my doctors.....I feel like they should be the ones telling me what needs to be done to maintain this pregnancy. It's very frustrating that I have yet to find a place that takes all the necessary precautions.
I am waiting to hear back from the actual midwife, as I had talked with the nurse before they even sent the doctors the results. Hopefully she will be more informative and cautious.

 

[Aly bee]

I was never told of my progesterone levels but my chug levels were 2500 at 4 weeks and doubled to 5200 two days later, I was told everyone's levels of pregnancy is different as long as it doubles and rises, I guess that's including progesterone. However I've id 3 MC all about 6 weeks and they never bothered finding out why. Even now I'm 14+1 and they not seem to do extra hormonal checks. I asked my gp to prescribe progesterone said gynea advised it for 12 weeks and they were happy yo prescribe it. I'm also on aspirin to see if it helps. Not sure if it's all that helping or if it's just ment yo be this time but all seems to be well so far. I was fortunate to get early hcg levels as I rang the early pregnancy unit who will see anyone anytime when you call. Do you have that service near you? They even give advice over phone.

 

[tddunn]

I just got my 5th set of test results back today. I have had a previous MC, and she is wanting to be cautious. My HCG was 12,400 and my progesterone was 18. I am 5wks 1 day today. My progesterone was 24.2 four days prior to this test, and my hcg was 1,200. My doctor put me on an oral progesterone of 100mg a day, taken at night. The doctor said it was in the normal range but since she saw a drop she wanted to put me on something. I am a little nervous about it. I would ask for something if I were you. My doctor is also doing another blood test on thursday to make sure the medicine helps

 

[Crystal725]

This was my first testing with this pregnancy and my previous pregnancies they never even bothered to do any sort of testing so I really have nothing to compare it to.

But that definitely seems to be the consensus. Progesterone definitely seems low so I will ask the doctor about it further when they call me back letting me know what my next step is. Thanks everyone!

 

[Aly bee]

For my next pregnancy I'm going to be ready and as soon as I get a positive I'm asking gp again for the progesterone suppositories and take asprin. There's no harm taking it so it's worth it. Gynea Doctors always say what will be will be, but at same time it's reassuring to us to get levels checked, because what if it is our levels that are a problem and it's easily rectified. I'd hate to think of my 3 MC that something could have been done but they just brushed it under the carpet as all I kept being told there are so many MC it will happen for you. Keep us posted crystal xxx

 

[pandi77]

anything under 10 is considered low I am to understand. this is an excerpt I read from the American Pregnancy Association-

"Progesterone levels also can have quite a variance at this stage of pregnancy. They can range from 9-47ng/ml in the first trimester, with an average of 12-20ng/ml in the first 5-6 weeks of pregnancy.

With both hCG levels and progesterone levels, it is not the single value that can predict a healthy pregnancy outcome. It is more important to evaluate two different values to see if the numbers are increasing. Levels of hCG should be increasing by at least 60 % every 2-3 days, but ideally doubling every 48-72 hours. Progesterone levels rise much differently than hCG levels, with an average of 1-3ng/ml every couple days until they reach their peak for that trimester. In situations when there is a concern of an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage, hCG levels will often start out normal, but will not show a significant increase or will stop rising all together, and progesterone levels will be low from the beginning."


I have/had a progesterone deficiency which my RE thinks was the reason I had so many chemicals. I started using over the counter progesterone cream which really helped and am using it currently with this pregnancy until the placenta takes over at the end of the first trimester.

It seems like doctors wanting to prescribe it is 50/50. My RE gave me her initial thoughts on it which were something about low progesterone out of the gate is an indication of a non viable pregnancy and it will prolong the inevitable- she was right with my ectopic. That being said after my chemicals she agreed with me using the cream since I obviously had a problem and that if my levels were low with this pregnancy she'd prescribe the suppositories. My levels started at 12.5 at 4 weeks, 15.5 two days after that and then 20 last we checked. I upped the amount of cream and so have the softest skin currently but increasing progesterone levels! I would opt for a progesterone supplement and make sure they check your levels every two days. You don't want to look back and wonder "what if" I had taken them. Good luck and hoping for sticky bean.

 

[tddunn]

I agree that you would probably regret not doing anything. I also use a progesterone cream multiple times through the day, and every time I start to feel a bit uncomfortable or slightly crampy I slather myself with the cream, now that Im on the progesterone supplement as well Im hoping it will get my progesterone back up in the upper 20s again

 

[Scout]

Hcg can vary so much. Mine was 18,762 at 4w6d, which, if you go by the charts online, would put me further along than I was, but I wasn't as my dates were confirmed the following week with an ultrasound...so not sure what the nurse was talking about when she said it indicates you're further along??

Do ask for progesterone. There are some doctors who believe it won't help unless you begin taking it right after ovulation, but it definitely won't hurt. With my pregnancy my level was 16 and my OB put me on supplements until week 12. Good luck!!

 

[eris]

I was checked last week Monday and my progestrone level was 19.5, with it being 15.9 on that prior Friday. I have also been using a cream once a day just to be on the safe side. I've been considering upping it.