Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
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 Ask Dr. Greenfield
When Your hCG Level Drops | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
My beta test dropped from 381 to 353. Can it go back up?— Lydia in Queens, NY | | | ANSWER |
September 27, 2001 | | | Dear Lydia,
I am sorry to say that this is not good news. The hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is made during a healthy pregnancy to tell the ovary to continue making the hormone progesterone, which is needed to maintain the uterine lining. When all is well, the level of hCG approximately doubles every 48 hours. When the pregnancy isn't developing properly, the hCG level falls. Often bleeding also occurs. Once the hCG level drops, it usually means that the pregnancy is destined to miscarry. Most of the time, hCG levels fail to rise normally in an ectopic pregnancy, as well.
Usually ectopic pregnancy causes a lot of one-sided lower abdominal pain, while a miscarriage may cause menstrual-like cramps. Your obstetrical practitioner will assess whether you have an ectopic or a regular intra-uterine miscarriage. I am afraid that only if one of the tests were incorrect, would there be any chance for your pregnancy to progress normally. Again, I'm sorry that the news is bad, and hope that you can get through this rough time. Take care.— by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
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