Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Average HCG Levels during Pregnancy

As Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG) is so widely sold as a dietary aid, it is easy to forget that it is created naturally in a woman's body when she is pregnant. Once a fertilized egg is implanted in a woman's uterus, the hormone HCG becomes secreted. Often, a massive rise in a woman's HCG levels is one of the first indicators that she is pregnant. It is normal for a woman's HCG level to continue rising until she is between 10-11 weeks pregnant. Here is a quick table which shows you a woman's average HCG levels at various times during her pregnancy:
  • 3 weeks - 5-50 ml U/ml
  • 4 weeks - 5-426ml U/ml
  • 5 weeks - 18-7,340 mlU/ml
  • 6 weeks - 1,000-56,000 mlU/ml
  • 8 weeks - 650-230,000 mlU/ml
  • 12 weeks - 25,000-300,000 mlU/ml
Generally, a woman's level of HCG will start to drop at this stage. In general, women with less than 5 mlU/ml are considered as not being pregnant whereas women with a HCG level of above 25 mlU/ml are deemed to be pregnant. Women with a reading in between these figures need a follow up test.
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Although pregnant women should certainly keep track of their HCG level, especially in the early weeks of pregnancy, they should not become obsessed over it. The fact that physicians do not take regular HCG levels (unless there is bleeding or something else is wrong) suggests that they are not excessively important. However, if you feel that something is amiss during your pregnancy, forget about your HCG levels and contact your doctor immediately.

Why Do I Have Low HCG Levels?

As we have already mentioned, HCG levels tend to decline after 11 weeks and it is not uncommon for pregnant women to see a major difference between their reading and the average HCG levels for that point in the pregnancy. HCG levels can be affected by use of antibiotics. Obviously, you should not be taking such medications or treatments once it is known that you are pregnant. You need to remember that each pregnant woman's individual HCG level varies. If your level doubles every 48 hours, then everything is normal, regardless of what the physical reading is. Those interested in losing weight safely and easily can avail of HCG cream which is just $197 for a bottle which will last you for 200 days!

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