low beta/hgc?

[longing]

Hi, we've been told my beta levels are a little low at 48, does anyone else have experience of this?? We've been through IVF and got our result at 10 days past a 5 day transfer, which is the same as 15dpo I think. We've been told to come back in a week for another beta, a whole 7 days!! I may go mad!!!

 

[Mrs B.]

Betas should be done 48 hours apart, not 7 days apart as they should double every 48 hours. It doesn't give enough information if you do them too far apart or too close together. The actual number is not as important as the number doubling... some women just have lower HCG numbers and by itself it doesn't mean anything really. You really need to speak to the doc and get your second HCG done 48 hours after the first... I'm surprised they don't know this, especially as you're under ivf care. Best of luck, I hope your numbers go up really well!!

 

[xxmyheartxx]

Exactly what Mrs B said, they should be done 48 hours apart and they like a minimum of 60% increase x

 

[pinkpassion]

It doesn't HAVE to be 48 hours. You can still figure out doubling time with any amount of time in between!! But definitely not sure why they'd wait a week but it will give them a good idea of what's going on a week later! Sorry you have to wait so long!!

 

[Mrs B.]

You shouldn't really leave it a week because HCG can more than double, so you risk it looking like it's doubled but you could have something like this happen:
Day 1 beta 20
Day 3 beta 65
Day 5 beta 155
Day 7 beta 160
If you took days 1 and 7 only, it technically looks like it has doubled every 48 hours (20->40->80->160), but actually those numbers above indicate a likely miscarriage due to the HCG not increasing enough in the last 48 hours. Obviously just a very basic example with made-up numbers, but that's my understanding why betas further apart than 48 hours are not accurate enough. They can at least tell you that your HCG is rising rather than falling, but that's it.

 

[longing]

Thank you ladies. Will let you know how things work out. It does seem like ages. Im really not sure why so long! Hopefully there will be a definate answer by then.

 

[DobbyForever]

I second the ladies saying a week is too long. A serial beta should be done 48-72 hours, not a week later. I would call your doctor first thing Monday and politely insist on having a second beta done. Fxed

 

[Scout]

Good luck. I've seen ladies on here with low starting off betas and have healthy pregnancies. The waiting is hard (been there!) but hopefully in a weeks time things will look good. Oh, and they may be waiting bc they don't routinely do betas every two days; not all doctors do. I've had both. My last OB only took blood once, but the one before did 2 draws 2 days apart which rose appropriately so he didn't do anymore (I miscarried anyway less than 2 weeks later).

 

[longing]

Thank you ladies for your replies! Well they wouldn't bring me forward and it's been a very long week. But i kept myself busy by poas every day! The lines have been getting darker but obviously still very nervous! Tomorrow is the date, I will let you guys know xx

 

[Calcifer]

Good luck longing!

 

[dan-o]

Good luck!! All crossed for you xxx

 

[xxmyheartxx]

Lots of luck hun x

 

[Koifish]

Good luck tomorrow!!!

 

[DobbyForever]

Fxed!

 

[longing]

Hi ladies, thank you for your thoughts. My numbers today were at 363 so still not really high enough. Another test in another weeks time. Not sure what to think..

 

[Calcifer]

Hi ladies, thank you for your thoughts. My numbers today were at 363 so still not really high enough. Another test in another weeks time. Not sure what to think..

Did they say they think it's too low? I would have thought the important thing was an increase, i have no idea what rate of increase they expect. It's a fact that some women have less HCG naturally. You're definitely pregnant, the question is how much I guess. It's a very hard time because there's nothing to see on a scan...

 

[Calcifer]

Hi ladies, thank you for your thoughts. My numbers today were at 363 so still not really high enough. Another test in another weeks time. Not sure what to think..

Sorry, i've just done basic maths so i may be wrong as i'm a bit shit with numbers but if you double every two days from 48, you'll find that you'll hit just under 400 in a week which sounds about right as to where you are?!

 

[pinkpassion]

2 Day change = 78.3 % increase.
7.000000011574074 Day change = 656.3 % increase.
Doubling time =2.4 days or 57.56 hours

That's your doubling time provided it had increased appropriately all week!! They like to see at least 60% increase. I'm sorry you're still in this limbo!!

 

[longing]

Oh ok. That's not as bad as I thought then. Me and maths don't get on either! They said it was too low and not increasing fast enough. Suppose its a waiting game.

 

[DobbyForever]

Under tools on countdown to pregnancy you can plug in the numbers and dates/time of two hcg draws and it will give you the doubling speed. But I'm a week we expect it to double about 3 times (or 8x the original), which is just about where you are.