Question about low HcG

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2003
Question about low HcG
6
Thu, 09-04-2003 - 7:10pm
I got my blood test back today and my hcg level is low. She said it was 37.8. I am currently almost 6 weeks (23-26 dpo). From what I have seen on the internet, I should be in the thousands by now. Do you think the 37.8 that she said to me was just a unit of measure that she was reading off the computer? I mean, do you think it's just the way the lab writes it...it's really like 3,780 or 37,800? She wants me to come back for another test tomorrow. If it was only 37.8 at six weeks, wouldn't they know that was too low and not have me come back in? She said it was low but not extremely low. Isn't just 37 extremely low?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Susan

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-25-2003
Thu, 09-04-2003 - 7:21pm
OK, so here is my professional OPINION only. I'm a nurse and I work in an ER, so we are frequently doing HCG tests, and I've only seen results come back as mIU/mL or say 12,300mIU/mL. With all the info on the internet, I would hope that the nurse in your OB's office would give you a reading in mIU/mL, which is the most common unit, and probably the only one you will find info on the web about. I'm thinking they are asking you to come back tomorrow to see if your hcg level is rising or not. The number in an hcg test is not as important as whether or not it is increasing like it should. Probably as long as your number is increasing, they will put you on the progesterone to try to help maintain and promote your pregnancy. I know that is probably not exactly what you wanted to hear. I wish you all the best with everything and my prayers will be with you for a positive outcome tomorrow. HUGS....

Desire'

TTC#1 since 8/01 (and really about to give up hope!)

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-25-2003
Thu, 09-04-2003 - 7:25pm
One more thing I just thought of. I've also only seen results come back as whole numbers, never with "point" anything, even on numbers that low. So, hopefully that was just a scale/unit that your doc's office is using.
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2003
Thu, 09-04-2003 - 7:32pm
Desire,

Thanks so much for your opinion. That's what she wants me to do is come back and test again to see if it is increasing and also to test level of progesterone. I was really fine with everything until I looked on the internet and saw I was suppose to be way up in the thousands. Then I got to thinking 37 is low, very low. If that's the case, why didn't she act like it was really low. She said it was low but not extremely low. She was pretty straight forward with me so that's why I got to thinking maybe it was just the unit of measure because, come on, 37 is low when you're suppose to be in the range where the lowest is like 1100 or something like that.

So, say it does increase tomorrow, does that mean the pregnancy is not healthy because it's so low now? I know, I know, one thing at a time but I would really like to know.

Susan

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-25-2003
Thu, 09-04-2003 - 7:59pm
Susan,

This really isn't my area of expertise, but I found this on www.advancedfertility.com which is a great website full of info, hope it helps...

"Some normal pregnancies will have quite low levels of HCG - and deliver perfect babies. Caution must be used in making too much of HCG "numbers". Ultrasound findings after 5-6 weeks of pregnancy are much more predictive of pregnancy outcome than are HCG levels"

Also, though on the low side, an hcg of 37 can be normal at between 5 and 6 weeks. Like I said earlier, it's not so much what the actual number is, but whether or not it is rising appropriately. Does that make sense????

Desire'

TTC#1 since 8/01

c27, cd5 (seeing RE again tomorrow to discuss next step)

Avatar for sams_i_is
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2003
Thu, 09-04-2003 - 8:12pm
Your HCG level should double in 2 days. I work in an OB office. I am not sure about that number either. I know that it sounds like a progesterone level more than a HCG level. But if your HCG levels double from your last one. That is a good thing. Good luck!

Sams

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2003
Thu, 09-04-2003 - 9:32pm
Thanks everyone, especially you Desire. I've been so up and down with this pregnancy already, I'm not sure what to expect next. I hope everything turns out okay, but I'm preparing myself for the worst. I just want to make sure when I get the results tomorrow, I know what they are talking about and know what questions I need to ask. Thanks for all your help.

Good luck to everyone and may only good things come to you all.

Susan