Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
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 Ask Dr. Greenfield
HCG Levels in Early Pregnancy | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
My wife thinks she is pregnant. The doctor over the phone had her go for a blood test, and the level came back to 104. They had her go two days later and the level was 135. Now somebody told her that the level should double in two days... is that true? She is very very nervous any help would be appreciated.— Jerry in PA | | | ANSWER |
May 9, 2001 | | | Dear Jerry,
It sounds like you and your wife really want this pregnancy, and these test results may not be good news for you.
HCG is the hormone that the early placenta makes to tell the body that a pregnancy is established. On average, the hCG level does double every 48 hours. In a healthy pregnancy, the least increase you ought to see is 66% in two days. While I have seen low rises in hCGs turn into normal pregnancies, your wife's numbers suggest the possibility that she may be destined to miscarry this pregnancy.
In order to resolve these difficult questions, you and your wife need to talk to her doctor about what these numbers mean in her individual situation. I am sorry to be giving you information that may make you worry. I hope this is a false alarm and that everything comes out fine for your family.— by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
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