HCG Levels Calculator

HCG is a hormone. Its full title is human chorionic gonadotropin. Once an embryo has successfully implanted into the uterus, HCG levels begin to rise. HCG plays a key role in the production of progesterone, which effectively supports a pregnancy.

A blood test can detect HCG in the body around ten days after conception. For fertility patients, this equates to around ten days after embryo transfer, though earlier detection is possible. HCG levels should roughly double every two or three days in the first few weeks of a pregnancy. But it’s not an exact science.

Am HCG blood test (a quantitative test) is perhaps the more superior test. The result shows a number, indicating how concentrated the HCG level is. This helps doctors monitor the viability of a pregnancy; repeat blood tests give better information. A home pregnancy test (a qualitative test) mainly checks the presence of HCG in the urine. No scores are given – it just provides a yes/no answer.

There’s no such thing. People test at different times. Every pregnancy is different. Very generally, a score of more than 100 mIU/mL two weeks post-conception is promising. But consecutive tests – two to three days apart – provide better information on the required score doubling. An early ultrasound scan, done around the sixth week of pregnancy, is the best way to confirm the viability of a pregnancy.

12 to 14 days after embryo transfer is best – or at least 16 days after egg collection if you had a fresh IVF cycle. For IVF patients who took a trigger shot to start ovulation, this usually contains a synthetic form of HCG. Therefore, testing any earlier after egg collection could give a ‘false positive’ result. For donor-egg and donor-embryo patients, or those who have frozen embryo cycles, HCG can sometimes be accurately assessed as early as day 6 post-transfer.

Labs across the world have slightly different ranges. Reference ranges from the Doctors Laboratory show that, at five weeks after the last menstrual bleed (LMP), the HCG range is 217 to 7138 mIU/mL. At seven weeks, it’s 3967 to 163563 mIU/mL. At eight weeks, it’s 32065 to 149571 mIU/mL. So there is overlap within each range, showing the variability in results. A single score that appears out of range doesn’t necessarily mean there’s an issue. A lack of doubling over two to three days is more likely to suggest a problem, but not conclusively so.

HCG levels start slowing, or falling, between week 8 and 11 of a pregnancy. HCG levels that don’t double over two to three days before then may suggest a failing pregnancy. But not always. Around 15 per cent of viable pregnancies have slow doubling stats. So HCG scores can’t be fully relied on. Other pregnancy assessments must be made.

An ectopic pregnancy tends to show a lower HCG score and a slower HCG increase than normal pregnancies. Two blood tests, two or three days apart, can help diagnose an ectopic. An ultrasound scan can usually confirm or rule one out. See your doctor immediately if you think your pregnancy is ectopic.

Not always – it depends how high and at what stage it is measured. Higher-than-normal HCG scores in the early weeks of pregnancy may suggest a multiple pregnancy, But this is far from conclusive. A very high score can sometimes point to an issue like a molar pregnancy – a non-cancerous tumour. These are rare.

Generally, no, But early HCG scores after fertility treatment can occasionally show lower or higher score than expected. Fertility patients tend to test earlier and more often than those who conceive naturally. Scores may vary between an embryo transfer at day 3 and day 5. A multiple pregnancy may lead to a higher initial score. Arguably, the gender of an embryo may influence the early HCG score, but this is far from certain. And OHSS patients may see fluctuating levels. The chance of an ectopic pregnancy is slightly higher after fertility treatment –reflected in abnormal HCG parameters.

Most digital home pregnancy tests contain the standard paper strip found in cheaper tests. The difference is that electronics are used to process and display a simple ‘pregnant’ or ‘not pregnant’ result on a digital test. For some, this is a waste of money. For others, the clarity of the declared result is worth the extra money, to avoid any misinterpretation of the result.

A gestational sac is optimally seen and diagnosed in an ultrasound scan when the HCG score is around 2,000 mIU/mL. A fetal heartbeat is often visible on a scan at an HCG level of 10,000 mIU/mL. This is typically when you’re about six weeks pregnant. 

Beta-HCG basically means the type of HCG test you take: it’s the blood test, not the urine test. A beta-HCG blood test is more accurate and sensitive than a urine test, and it can measure lower levels of HCG. The word ‘beta’ is the beta sub-unit of HCG in a blood sample.