Why does hcg levels drop

Levels of hCG in the blood correlate with the following fetal development markers :. If a doctor views a fetus using an ultrasound but does not see the expected growth, they may order an hCG blood test. If hCG levels are much lower than expected, they may predict that the fetus may not be viable. It is important to note that hCG levels do not necessarily cause pregnancy loss. Instead, doctors take these levels into account with other factors as part of a trend.

After analyzing the trend, healthcare professionals can get an idea of how the pregnancy is progressing. When an ectopic or intrauterine pregnancy develops, it presents with low or insufficiently increasing hCG levels. Low hCG levels are not a cause but a symptom of these conditions. Doctors look at two factors when considering hCG levels and pregnancy — what the initial hCG level was and how fast it increases over the pregnancy. Therefore, low hCG levels can be relative, and doctors are more concerned with how they increase over time.

With this in mind, low hCG levels are a symptom of pregnancy loss, not a cause. A study found that repeatedly measuring hCG levels helped predict the early viability of pregnancies in The researchers found that taking hCG measurements over 48 hours could predict pregnancy viability more quickly than taking transvaginal ultrasounds about 1—2 weeks apart. Therefore, your doctor may ask you to return to their office two to three days after your baseline blood test to see if your level has doubled appropriately.

This could include progesterone blood tests and a transvaginal ultrasound to check your uterus for a gestational sac. Other symptoms, such as bleeding or cramping, will also be taken into account. In the event of a miscarriage, hCG levels typically decrease from previous measurements. Levels that are slow to rise can also indicate a non-uterine pregnancy, which happens when the fertilized egg implants somewhere outside the uterus usually the fallopian tubes.

The normal ranges for hCG at various points of pregnancy are very wide. Each pregnancy is different in this regard. What really matters is the change over time. Different people will have different baselines and still have lasting pregnancies.

It could also be the case that a preexisting condition, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome OHSS following fertility treatments, is affecting your hormone levels.

Chances are the pregnancy is nonviable, according to the journal Fertility and Ste r ility. Doctors use data based on smaller-scale studies in those who conceived after pregnancy treatments, according to the journal Fertility and Sterility. Doctors chiefly use doubling times to confirm a pregnancy, not diagnose a miscarriage. An important factor to consider with doubling times is the starting hCG value.

Carrying multiples twins, triplets, etc. Ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage can result in lower hCG levels. A molar pregnancy can result in higher levels. I called him upstairs to ask if he thought a crib could fit in the room with the queen size bed, and if he was okay with painting the furniture white and the room mint green. I was so happy, he was going to be a great dad. Then suddenly I felt extreme abdominal pain. But my husband made me go to the emergency department, and several tests later, the nurse practitioner attending teared up when she told me the results.

My hCG level the hormone that indicates a pregnancy was on the low end for someone 4 to 5 weeks along and the ultrasound showed no evidence of a baby. It was possible I was having a miscarriage, and I would need more tests to confirm it. My pregnancy was detected, but there was no evidence of a baby on the ultrasound. Abdominal cramps could mean that I was experiencing a dangerous complication, or that my uterus is expanding. Most doctors do not check hCG levels for purposes of evaluating the progress of a pregnancy after the first trimester, although single hCG levels might be checked as a part of the AFP prenatal screening test.

If hCG levels are dropping and ultrasound shows that the pregnancy has been lost, there are a few different options. Your doctor may:. In some cases, elevated hCG levels following a miscarriage can indicate a molar pregnancy , which needs to be treated.

Knowing that your hCG levels are dropping can be very stressful, even if the pregnancy is viable. Stay in touch with your healthcare provider so that you can be well informed, and seek out support from your partner or another person that you feel comfortable with.

Some women benefit from counseling too. There's no shame in needing help and asking for it. Get diet and wellness tips delivered to your inbox. Obstet Gynecol. Cole LA. Biological functions of hCG and hCG-related molecules. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. Should the qualitative serum pregnancy test be considered obsolete? Am J Clin Pathol. Konrad G. First-trimester bleeding with falling HCG: don't assume miscarriage. Can Fam Physician.