Your at-home pee stick confirmed the big news when it found hCG — aka the pregnancy hormone — in your urine. And your doctor will probably take a closer look at your levels via blood tests to check that they’re going up.
So how much hCG should you actually have in your system — and what if the numbers don’t match up with what you’ve heard is normal?
The truth is that hCG levels can vary a whole lot from one pregnancy to another, even for the same person. And in most cases, the only thing you really need to know is that your numbers are consistently rising for the first few months before starting to decline again later.
Here’s more about what’s typical based on how far along in your pregnancy you are, plus what it could mean if your levels are lower than average.
What is hCG?
Human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, is a pregnancy hormone produced by cells around an embryo to help form the placenta — the organ that develops in the uterus during pregnancy to deliver nutrients and oxygen to your baby.
HCG makes its way into your urine and bloodstream almost immediately after an embryo implants in the uterus — and it’s the hormone that pregnancy tests (both at-home tests and ones done by the doctor) look for to confirm that a baby’s on the way.
Though hCG production kicks in ASAP after implantation, the levels start off very low. But they rapidly increase during the early weeks of pregnancy enough for a home pregnancy to detect them around 19 days after fertilization. (Which is why it’s usually best to wait until the day your period is supposed to arrive to take one.) A blood test can typically detect hCG sooner — around 12 days after fertilization.
More About Pregnancy Hormones
HCG can affect your body in other ways. It can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to colds or infections. It’s also thought to be the culprit behind unpleasant pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness. (Not fun, but a small price to pay for your sweet little bundle, right?)
Are my hCG levels normal?
You’ll know your body is making hCG as soon as you see the positive sign on an at-home pregnancy test. But your doctor will also likely check your levels, either with a second urine test or during your first pregnancy blood workup.
This might, naturally, leave you wondering whether you have normal hCG levels or not. But trading tales with other moms-to-be or comparing your numbers to what’s typical may just make you spin your wheels with worry.
That's because every woman's hormone levels can fluctuate enormously from day to day, person to person and even pregnancy to pregnancy.
From the time implantation occurs, hCG levels soon begin to soar, increasing by almost 60 percent every 48 hours, give or take. The rapid increase peaks somewhere between 7 and 12 weeks after your last period, and then starts to decline.
While it might sound like a predictable increase, levels aren't even close to predictable. Experts have found a huge variation in hCG levels on even the first missed day of a woman's period.
Some women have almost no measurable hCG, while others have readings of more than 400 milli-international units per milliliter (mIU/mL). And hCG levels with twins tend to be much higher than with singletons.
Either way, this is perfectly normal and has to do, in part, with exactly how long it took your egg to get fertilized, make the trip down to the uterus and get snuggled in during implantation. Some embryos are simply zippier than others. It's also completely normal for that wide range in levels to persist throughout pregnancy.
What are normal hCG levels by week? Check this chart
That said, it’s understandable if you’re still curious about where your numbers stand. Use this hCG levels chart to see a range of what’s typical, keeping in mind that normal hCG levels can vary quite a bit.
Even if your readings fall outside these ranges, don't worry: It's still quite likely that everything is fine. Your due date may very well be off.
As long as your practitioner confirms that your pregnancy is progressing as it should — likely using an ultrasound — you don't have to obsess about these numbers. If you are concerned, talk with your doctor about your results.
What causes low hCG levels?
Again, it’s important to keep in mind that hCG levels vary widely from one woman to the next, and having lower numbers than someone else isn’t usually cause for concern.
What’s more important and relevant than the actual number itself is that your hCG level falls within the very wide normal range and continues to increase in the coming weeks until it declines after a few months. So look for a pattern of increasing levels instead of focusing too much on a single number.
That said, very low hCG levels that don’t seem to be increasing can signal that a pregnancy isn’t viable. Typically hCG levels that fail to keep rising are a sign of:
- Ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancies happen when a fertilized egg implants somewhere outside of the uterus, like the fallopian tube or the cervix. When that happens, lower amounts of hCG are produced and the embryo can’t develop normally. HCG levels alone do not diagnose an ectopic pregnancy.
- Miscarriage. Low or declining hCG levels can also be a sign of a miscarriage that has either already happened or is at risk for occurring. Keep in mind, though, that a single hCG reading that’s lower than usual isn’t necessarily a sign that a woman will experience pregnancy loss.
How do you increase hCG levels?
It can be tempting to try remedies or foods that purportedly help raise your hCG levels. Unfortunately, there’s no way to change your hCG levels or make them go up.
What's more, hCG levels reflect information about your pregnancy, but changing them wouldn't address the cause of any potential problems.
During a healthy pregnancy, hCG levels will continue to rise on their own through about the 12th week before starting to naturally decline. As long as your levels are trending upwards, you shouldn’t worry about trying to make them even higher.
Can you still be pregnant with low hCG levels?
Every woman’s hCG levels are different, so just because your numbers are on the low side doesn’t mean you won’t have a healthy pregnancy. The important thing is that your levels are trending upwards overall.
On the other hand, while one lower-than-expected hCG reading isn’t necessarily a sign of a problem, levels that consistently trend downwards or plateau in the first trimester may indicate an unviable pregnancy.
Early on, rising hCG levels are a sign that your pregnancy is progressing as it should be. But your levels don’t necessarily have to look just like someone else’s to count as normal. As long as they’re on the upswing, they’re likely right where they need to be for you and your baby.
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