After an unprotected act of highlighting brown. Sexual intercourse ends with the release of blood? What is the reason? Why do you have brown discharge after sex?

HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a specific gonadotropic hormone, which is the main indicator of pregnancy. Normally, it is absent in the human body, and its presence in the blood indicates only two things:

• pregnancy has occurred;
• there is a threat of developing cancer, as some types of cancer cells are able to produce hCG.

For the most part, hCG is of interest to women specifically to determine the onset of pregnancy, so this issue will be considered in detail.

When to donate blood for hCG?

It is important to know that a pregnancy test is nothing more than the same hCG test, only at home. Due to the sensitive reagent for hCG, which, when interacting with the urine of a woman, reacts to the presence of gonadotropic hormone, it is possible to determine whether conception has occurred on early dates even before missed period. These pregnancy tests have different sensitivities. With the help of the most sensitive tests, pregnancy can be determined even before the delay of menstrual bleeding (sensitivity up to 10 mmol / milliliter), and the most common test strips have a sensitivity of up to 25 mmol / milliliter.

If you believe the tacit statistics, then often tests for hCG for home conditions show a false positive or false negative result s. False negatives are more common than false positives. Although the manufacturer claims that the probability of error does not exceed 1%, but, nevertheless, erroneous indicators exceed the declared percentage of the manufacturer. Therefore, relying on the fact that a rapid test at home will show a reliable result is not entirely reliable.

The most optimal analysis for determining the level of hCG in the body will be blood sampling. It is best to donate blood for analysis in the morning on an empty stomach, like all other types of tests. The optimal date is at least 4-5 days after the start of the delay. The fact is that the level of hCG begins to rise only from the moment the ovum is implanted into the uterine cavity, but not after the last sexual intercourse, or from the moment ovulation ends. Before a fertilized egg attaches, it will take at least a week, or even a week and a half, since its journey through the fallopian tubes takes a considerable amount of time. Since most often women become pregnant in the middle of the cycle, when ovulation occurs, then implantation appears approximately before the start of menstruation in the final phase menstrual cycle. From the moment the fetal egg attaches to the uterine cavity, the level of gonadotropin begins to increase daily by 2 times from the previous indicator. This means that if the indicator was 3 mmol / milliliter, then the next day it will be 6 mmol, on the third 12, etc.

Values ​​from 0 to 5 show the norm for a non-pregnant woman. From 5 to 25 is a controversial indicator that requires re-testing at least a few days later. A study on hCG can show the presence or absence of pregnancy when it is carried out on the 3-5th day of a delay in menstrual flow. An analysis carried out earlier will not give accurate information.

Why do I need to take a test for gonadotropin?

Many women do not know why they are tested for this hormone after they find out that they are already in an interesting position. After all, most citizens believe that this analysis is done only in order to confirm or refute the fact of conception. This is fundamentally wrong. Thanks to these indicators, it is possible not only to identify the fact of conception, but also:

• identify some diseases;
• follow the normal course of pregnancy;
• reveal hidden threat for the fetus or the health of the expectant mother.

Overestimated or insufficient indicators in a certain period after a delay will tell a lot.

Before donating blood for analysis after conception, you need to make sure that the period interesting position installed correctly, otherwise you can make a mistake, and this is highly undesirable, because medical error worth a lot.

Elevated gonadotropin levels

Elevated levels of human chorionic gonadotropin without abnormalities often indicate multiple pregnancies. In other cases, the value increases:

• with manifestations of severe toxicosis;
• if you suspect the development of pathology in the fetus (for example, Down syndrome);
• when re-carrying a child;
• in the presence of diabetes in a pregnant woman;
• with hormonal therapy to maintain the life of the fetus;
• may be elevated for some time after an abortion;

The worst consequence for the expectant mother, which is indicated by high gonadotropin, is the risk of preeclampsia or eclampsia. Gestosis is a complicated form of toxicosis on later dates which is characterized by:

• severe swelling;
• violation of the kidneys;
• sudden weight gain;
• an increase in blood pressure.

If you do not start treating preeclampsia in time, then in dynamics it will cause eclampsia, which is characterized by a convulsive seizure. If not provided on time medical care woman, she or her child will die. That is why it is so important to do a test for the level of gonadotropin during the period of gestation.

Decreased levels of gonadotrpin

A reduced level of chorionic gonadotropin may indicate in the early stages after a delay about an ectopic attachment of the fetus. If the fetal egg is not located where it is needed, then in any case an abortion will be performed, otherwise the woman risks dying from a ruptured ovary or fallopian tube in the future. A low level also indicates:

• about the threat of miscarriage;
• about placental insufficiency of the fetus;
• lagging behind in the norms of intrauterine development;
• lack of intrauterine development;
• possible death of the child;
• gestation of the fetus in the later stages.

In any case, if the result obtained does not fit into the norms in time, it is urgent to conduct an ultrasound examination to finally clarify the existing situation. Also, if a diagnosis of a threatened miscarriage is made, it is necessary to urgently stay in the hospital for preservation. In no case should you ignore all the medical recommendations given by the gynecologist regarding treatment or further diagnosis.

How to take a test for chorionic hormone

To get the most accurate result, you need to perform a few simple manipulations.

1. do not eat before donating blood 4-6 hours;
2. it is best to take blood samples in the morning;
3. the day before the test, you need to exclude any physical activity;
4. Do not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes before donating blood.
5. if hormonal preparations are taken as prescribed by the gynecologist, this must be reported to the laboratory assistant.

After receiving the result on the hormonal diagnosis of the norm of the chorionic hormone, you need to provide the attending gynecologist with all the data obtained for further medical opinion. It is not recommended to draw any conclusions on your own and self-medicate.

human chorionic gonadotropin (abbreviated hCG, HCG, HCG in English language, HGL in Ukrainian) is a hormone that, when normal condition body is produced exclusively during pregnancy. The hCG hormone is produced after conception - it is synthesized by a fertilized egg, and after it is formed trophoblast (this is the precursor of the placenta), this hormone is produced by its tissues. That is why the level of hCG is determined only after conception.

Chorionic gonadotropin consists of two different subunits - alpha And beta . At the same time, alpha is identical with subunits of alpha hormones. When we are talking, about hCG - what it is, its B-subunit is considered. It is important to understand, when considering what beta hCG is, that it is a unique subunit and therefore cannot be confused with other hormones. Speaking about the study on human chorionic gonadotropin, we mean that there is no difference between hCG and beta-hCG.

What is hCG during pregnancy? Its definition and interpretation is very milestone diagnosing a number of pathologies of both the fetus and the woman. In some conditions, which will be described in this article, hCG values ​​​​are either greatly reduced or increased. Considering what kind of analysis this is, it must be taken into account that with small deviations from the norm, this study has no diagnostic value. Therefore, some diseases and conditions of the expectant mother ( prolongation of pregnancy , intrauterine infection, chronic placental insufficiency ) is determined by other methods.

After the results of hCG have been obtained, they are deciphered in dynamics, since each woman's hCG level during pregnancy changes in her own way. Therefore, one result cannot be used to judge the situation as a whole.

It is important that the result of the analysis of hCG for pregnancy must be considered by a qualified specialist. After all, decoding hCG test is very important, as it allows you to correct some problems of fetal development.

Since the free beta subunit of gonadotropin is unique, the test that determines the rate of hCG during pregnancy is also called beta-hCG. Normal - if during pregnancy HCGb appears in the blood a few days after conception. But, nevertheless, if, for example, hCG is 8, what it means, after the first analysis, it is definitely impossible to say. A repeat test will be required to confirm pregnancy. In general, the fb-HCG rate is a very important indicator of fetal development.

When handing over hCG to Invitro, Hemotest, Helix and other clinics, a woman needs to understand what kind of indicator it is, when such a test shows pregnancy, etc. This will be discussed in the article below.

What is HCG for?

When determining HCGb indicators, you need to understand why human gonadotropin is needed. Wikipedia says the following:

• this hormone at the beginning of pregnancy stimulates the synthesis process and;
• prevents disappearance corpus luteum ;
• prevents aggression maternal organism against fetal cells;
• initiates physiological and anatomical changes in the body of a pregnant woman;
• stimulates the adrenal glands and gonads of the fetus;
• participates in the process of sexual differentiation in male fetuses.

Why is this analysis ordered?

Analysis for women is prescribed for the purpose of:

• early diagnosis of pregnancy;
• monitoring the dynamics of how the pregnancy proceeds;
• definition of malformations (fetal anatomy);
• development exceptions ectopic pregnancy ;
• the need to assess whether the artificial was completely carried out;
• establishing that there is a threat;
• diagnostics And tumors .

For male patients, such an analysis is necessary to diagnose testicular tumors .

HCG levels during pregnancy

The function of chorionic gonadotropin in the body is very important. Its indicators in the early stages begin to increase, as it is produced by a fertilized egg. It is hCG that makes it possible for pregnancy to develop, since it starts all the processes necessary for bearing a baby.

Already 9 days after ovulation, hCG can be determined in the blood plasma. That is, even when the fertilized egg has invaded the endometrium, there is a slow increase in the indicators of this hormone. And if it's defined low level in the early stages, the concentration doubles every two days. What exactly should be its level in a certain week, how hCG should grow, slow or fast growth is noted, you can find out from the corresponding tables.

The growth of hCG during pregnancy occurs up to 8-10 weeks from the last menstruation, when its peak is noted - 50,000-10,000 IU / l. Further, the level of the hormone begins to decrease, by 18-20 weeks it is already reduced by half. Then the content of hCG remains stable for the entire duration of pregnancy.

Gonadotropin during pregnancy is excreted from the body by the kidneys, therefore, it is excreted in the urine. It can be determined by conducting a urinalysis, in the range of 30-60 days after the last menstruation. The highest rates are noted for 60-70 days. That is why, when hCG begins to be produced, you can do a pregnancy test strip or other urinary tests.

HCG levels during late pregnancy can reach repeated peak levels. Previously, such doctors considered a variant of the norm. However, it has now been proven that elevated hCG in the later stages may indicate a developmental pathology. In particular, a high level of the hormone in the last weeks of gestation sometimes means that there is a reaction of the placenta to placental insufficiency in the case of Rhesus conflict .

Therefore, it is necessary to identify this disease in a timely manner and treat it.

The main signs of hydatidiform mole are:

• Constant, indomitable vomit , much more painful than with the usual.
• Uterine bleeding (severe daubing) at an early stage.
• The size of the uterus is larger than normal at this time.
• Symptoms preeclampsia (Sometimes).
• Trembling fingers, palpitations, weight loss (rare).

When the signs described above are noted, it is important to consult a gynecologist, undergo an ultrasound scan and be tested for hCG.

If the pregnancy develops normally, then the rate of this hormone rarely increases more than 500,000 IU / l. There is an approximate calculation of hormone norms for each period. But if a cystic drift develops, the level of hCG is different, several times higher than these norms.

To cure a hydatidiform mole, the entire trophoblast must be removed from the uterus. For this, curettage or other surgical interventions are carried out.

It may happen that a benign hydatidiform drift turns into malignant chorionic carcinoma . As a rule, with this tumor, metastases appear very quickly. But it responds well to treatment with chemotherapy .

There are the following indications for chemotherapy:

• HCG levels above 20,000 IU/L one month after the mole was removed.
• An increase in the level of this hormone after the mole has been removed.
• Metastases to other organs.

chorioncarcinoma

chorioncarcinoma may appear both after hydatidiform mole, and after childbirth or abortion. If a woman develops this disease, then 40 days after the pregnancy is completed, the level of hCG has not fallen, but its increase is noted. There may also be uterine bleeding, signs that indicate metastases. In such a situation, there are indications for chemotherapy, surgery. In the future, the patient should be under observation. How long it should last, the doctor decides.

The use of drugs with human chorionic gonadotropin

Like all human hormones, the level of human chorionic gonadotropin can depend on various factors. So, the result of the tests is affected by whether a woman takes drugs containing human gonadotropin orally.

As a rule, such drugs are prescribed to women during, as well as during the period when preparations for IVF are underway, in order to increase the level of the hormone.

IN rare cases such medicines are taken if there is a threat of miscarriage. In any case, if a woman uses such medications, then before taking any measurements and analyzes, you need to warn the doctor about this.

Taking a variety of drugs, many women are interested in whether they can affect the performance of this hormone. For example, it is often asked whether to the hCG level. According to experts, Duphaston may slightly affect the level of this hormone, since this drug controls the level progesterone . However, if the hCG norms do not comply, this cannot be attributed to the influence of the drug, since we can talk about a pathological condition.

The level of this hormone is not affected.

Hormonal medications, the active component of which is human chorionic gonadotropin, these are Profazi , Humegon , Horagon , Choriogonin , Menogon . They restore the ovulatory process, activate the hormonal activity of the corpus luteum. At what size of the follicle an injection is given, the doctor determines.

Initially, studies are carried out on hormones, their norm in women and deviations. If there are certain deviations, in particular, progesterone is below normal, what this means, the doctor will explain during the consultation and prescribe a specific treatment.

If necessary, to stimulate ovulation, hCG injections are prescribed from 5000 to 10000 IU, in order to maintain pregnancy - from 1000 to 3000 IU. Individual dose selection is important. Therefore, if an injection of 10,000 was given, when ovulation, if an injection of 5,000 was given, after how much ovulation, the specialist will explain.

Currently, human chorionic gonadotropin is also used by athletes, since under its influence in male body rises.

False positive test result

Those who are interested in how long a pregnancy test shows for this hormone should take into account that in some situations, tests can be false positive.

This happens in the following cases:

• Some experts claim that when taking oral contraceptives hormone levels may rise. However, there is no proven evidence that contraception affects hCG.
• As a rule, after childbirth or abortion, the level of the hormone decreases for seven days. In some cases, the doctor waits 42 days, after which tests are taken, and he can make a diagnosis. If the analysis shows that hCG has not decreased or increased, then we can talk about a trophoblastic tumor.
• The level may remain elevated when metastases occur. chorioncarcinoma , hydatidiform mole .
• Other tumors can also develop from germinal tissues, but they rarely give an increase in the level of the hormone. Therefore, in the presence of education in the brain, stomach, lungs and high level chorionic gonadotropin, first of all, there is a suspicion of trophoblastic tumors with metastases.

Thus, the hCG rate in non-pregnant women should not be higher than those that are normal. The norm of hCG in non-pregnant women is from 0 to 5. The level of this hormone in a non-pregnant woman may be higher in the first days after an abortion, when taking certain medications, and also with the development of certain pathological conditions.

Immunity against hCG

In rare cases (units) in the female body are produced to chorionic hormone. They are an obstacle to the normal attachment of a fertilized egg in the uterus and its subsequent development.

Therefore, if in two or more cases the pregnancy ended in a spontaneous miscarriage, it is important to take an analysis to determine antibodies to hCG and find out if there are any specific abnormalities. If the result is positive, treatment is carried out during the first trimester.

The woman is assigned glucocorticoids And low molecular weight heparins . However, it is important to consider that organisms that produce antibodies to hCG are a rare event. Therefore, in the absence of pregnancy, you must initially go through all the studies and exclude the influence of other factors on women's and men's health.

conclusions

Thus, an analysis for hCG is a very important study during the period of bearing a baby. It is quite understandable that after receiving the results of the studies, patients have many questions. For example, why hCG is growing, but not doubling, how to correctly decipher hCG according to DPO, etc., does fibroids affect hormone levels, etc. You need to ask a gynecologist about everything, who will help decipher the tests and give comprehensive answers to all questions.

Chorion is the embryonic membrane from which the placenta is formed. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG, HCG, HCG) is called the "hormone of pregnancy, since its active production by the chorion begins one day after the introduction of a fertilized egg.

The main function of the hormone is the development of the corpus luteum of the ovary - a temporary gland that produces progesterone. Without progesterone, it is impossible for a fertilized egg to penetrate the uterine lining. With the onset of fertilization, the corpus luteum under the influence of chorionic hormone (CG) remains active until the 12th week, produces progesterone for the development of the endometrium and the maintenance of pregnancy.

An express test for determining pregnancy is based on determining the level of hCG. In this case, the material for the study is urine, the concentration of the hormone in which is lower than in the blood. According to a blood test, pregnancy can be diagnosed a day or two after fertilization.

If during pregnancy there is a decrease in the level of the hormone or a slowdown in its growth, this may indicate a threat of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.

Functions of chorionic gonadotropin

HCG is necessary only during pregnancy - without it, the regulation of the basic processes of preservation and development of the fetus is impossible. The hormone is produced by a fertilized egg and after its attachment to the wall of the uterus, it contributes to the development of the placenta.

As part of chorionic gonadotropin - alpha and beta units. The latter are typical only for hCG, they are studied during laboratory tests. Beta units appear in the blood plasma 6-8 days after fertilization and disappear a week after birth.

HCG functions:

• In the first weeks of pregnancy - the preservation of the corpus luteum and stimulation of the synthesis of progesterone and estrogen.
• Formation and stimulation of the adrenal glands and gonads in the fetus.
• Preparation of the mother's immunity to the bearing of the fetus.
• Stimulation of testosterone production in boys.

An increase in the concentration of hCG can indicate not only pregnancy, but also abnormal development of the fetus, diabetes mother or cancer.

The hormone is produced in women and men with certain types of cancer. According to the results of the analysis for hCG, cancerous tumors are diagnosed. An increase in the rate in men may indicate testicular teratoma and seminoma, a reduced hormonal level also indicates a violation of the normal functioning of the body.

Types of studies on hCG

There are two types of tests for hCG - to determine general level hormone and to detect free beta units.

General analysis

Early diagnosis of pregnancy. A blood test shows the onset of conception, when the pharmacy test has not yet responded. With the normal development of pregnancy in the first weeks, the level of the hormone doubles every other day.

By 10-11 weeks, the content of hCG reaches a maximum and begins to gradually decrease. The general analysis is repeated in the second trimester in a complex of studies. Material for research is given several times so that failures in the development of the fetus can be detected in time.

Free B-hCG (HVCh)

The analysis is effective for diagnosing a neoplasm, incl. oncological.

When research is required

The doctor of the antenatal clinic will certainly recommend that the woman donate blood for analysis. In the first two trimesters of pregnancy, the study reveals Down and Edwards syndromes in the fetus. If the result of the analysis is positive, they talk about the likelihood of an anomaly, and not about its obligatory nature. The woman is scheduled for a re-examination.

This is especially important in the presence of risk factors:

Indications for research

A blood test for the level of chorionic gonadotropin is indicated mainly for women. Men are examined for suspected malignant neoplasms. Normally, the level of HDH in a man should not exceed 5 mU / ml.

Doctors prescribe a referral for tests in the following cases:

• Delayed menses.
• Establishment of pregnancy in the early stages (5-6 days after fertilization).
• Diagnosis of ectopic, frozen, multiple or not developing pregnancy and threatened miscarriage.
• Suspicion of defective medical abortion.
• Monitoring the development of pregnancy. All women carrying a child undergo routine examinations in the period from 12 to 18 weeks of pregnancy.
• Early detection of abnormal fetal development. The study is more reliable with simultaneous blood tests for estirol and alpha-fetoprotein.
• Confirmation or exclusion of oncological diseases of the digestive and reproductive systems in men and women.

The main goal of studying the level of HCV is to exclude the pathological development of the fetus and pregnancy.

Preparation and conduct of the study

This study belongs to the category of complex, its accuracy is influenced by many factors. Based on the results obtained, the doctor will draw conclusions about further actions. At all stages - from preparation for blood donation to laboratory tests - the rules must be strictly observed.

Preparation period:

The result can be affected by the psychological state of a person - stress and overstrain distort the indicators.

Blood sampling

For research, blood plasma is required, the material for analysis is taken from a vein. In a centrifuge, blood cells are separated from the plasma, and further manipulations are carried out using special reagents.

Evaluation of results

The limit of the hCG norm for men and non-pregnant women is 5 mU / ml, an upward deviation is always a sign of a health disorder.

For women who are expecting a baby, the rate depends on the gestational age.

Norms of beta-CG in pregnant women (table)

In the normal course of pregnancy, the concentration of hCG gradually increases, especially rapidly in the first trimester. The content of the hormone at this time doubles within 1-2 days. At 10-12 weeks, when the placenta is formed, beta-hCG is formed as actively as possible. After that, the level of the hormone gradually decreases and remains almost unchanged until childbirth.

The norms for men and women outside of pregnancy may vary somewhat, depending on the individual characteristics of the body. It is not worth diagnosing the condition on the basis of the tests obtained on your own; only a specialist can qualifiedly assess the condition.

Norm in men and women

On average, at healthy people research results are as follows:

Reasons for increasing the concentration of hCG

In pregnant women, exceeding the normative indicators means:

• Multiple pregnancy. The more embryos in the uterus, the more the indicators are increased.
• Toxicosis (gestosis).
• Gestational diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. It is diagnosed with additional studies, for which blood sugar tests are prescribed.
• Deviations in the development of the fetus (malformations, hypoxia, genetic diseases, Down syndrome).
• Error in determining the gestational age. There are a number of factors to consider in order to accurately set a deadline.
• Taking hormonal drugs.

Deviations from the norm, not related to the bearing of a child, may be due to:

• oncological problems. Usually the tumor is found in the testicles, ovaries, uterus, digestive tract.
• Tumors formed in embryonic tissue (choriocarcinoma, chorioepithelioma, hydatidiform mole).
• Taking medications that contain hCG.
• Inadequately performed medical abortion or recent medical abortion.

Causes of a decrease in the concentration of hCG

The level of the hormone, which does not meet the norms during pregnancy, may decrease if:

• The pregnancy is over.
• Pregnancy develops outside the uterus.
• Intrauterine development is delayed.
• There is a threat of spontaneous abortion or premature birth.
• Violated the formation and function of the placenta (fetoplacental insufficiency).
• There is a recurrence of pregnancy.

If abnormal values ​​are obtained, the study should be repeated after a few days. Only a doctor can correctly evaluate the results of the tests.

Reliability of analysis

A study on hCG is considered the most accurate way to determine pregnancy in the early stages. However, the results can be distorted if the rules are violated by the patient or the laboratory assistant. Even drinking alcohol or smoking can affect the analysis data, if you imagine that this is possible during pregnancy.

Women who are taking medication or who have had problems with childbearing should tell their doctor.

A false positive result of the analysis, according to statistics, is observed in two percent of women who donate blood to check the level of the hormone. Diagnosis may be incorrect due to hormonal failure or cancer. Sometimes an existing pregnancy is not confirmed.

This happens with an ectopic pregnancy or late implantation of the embryo. This circumstance clarifies the question of why repeated analyzes are needed.

Modern laboratories have the capacity to obtain reliable results. The correct decoding of indicators can be a matter not only of birth healthy child but also life or death. Information should be analyzed comprehensively, taking into account the results of all studies.

Video - when to take an analysis for hCG?

Many women are interested in the question of whether the hCG analysis can be wrong. Experts assure that an error is possible, although the accuracy of this method is at least 99%. It is even higher than the accuracy of pregnancy tests, which can be purchased at the pharmacy.

A blood test for hCG is the most accurate method for determining pregnancy in the early stages. It can be carried out already a few days after the implantation of the embryo into the uterine wall. As you know, chorionic gonadotropin begins to be produced in the body only when a fertilized egg attaches to one of the uterine walls.

Thus, this hormone can be called the hormone of pregnancy. If a woman suspects that she may become pregnant, she does not have to wait until her period is missed to take the test. She can donate blood for hCG and, based on its results, understand whether she is pregnant or not. This analysis is paid. You can donate blood in a antenatal clinic or a private clinic.

Many women doubt the reliability of its results, but in fact the accuracy of the method is quite high. It is 99%. An absolute guarantee of the reliability of the result is difficult to achieve when performing any analysis. Do not forget about such an important condition as the human factor. Despite the fact that cases in which laboratory assistants make mistakes are very rare, this cannot be ignored.

When performing an analysis, it is important not only to do it correctly, but also to correctly interpret the result. Some doctors who perform this study talk about the fact of pregnancy when they see that the level of hCG in the woman's blood is elevated. In fact, this approach is not entirely correct. In order to judge the onset of pregnancy and that it is developing normally, it is better to do 2-3 tests. In this case, the time interval between them should be at least a week. If a woman is pregnant, every week the concentration of human chorionic gonadotropin in her blood increases by 2-3 times. If hCG remains at the same level, then this may indicate the presence of an ectopic, missed pregnancy.

The person who analyzes for hCG may be wrong. However, the human factor should not be excluded. In this case, the probability of error is negligible. Situations in which a laboratory assistant can mix up samples of biological material or misinterpret the results of the analysis are extremely rare.

The cessation of the increase in the concentration of hCG in the blood may indicate the presence of a threat of spontaneous abortion.

Sometimes elevated level HCG is observed if a woman has recently had an abortion, or she is currently using hormonal pills. Before taking blood for analysis, doctors should clarify this point. If a woman drinks hormonal drugs, then the analysis will not be informative.

Unfortunately, an increased concentration of hCG in the blood may indicate the development of benign or malignant tumors. That is why an increase in the level of hCG is sometimes observed in men.

It should be remembered that a false negative result can be obtained if a woman turned to the laboratory too early for an analysis. Doctors recommend donating blood no earlier than 7-10 days after the intended conception. To increase the accuracy of the analysis, blood should be taken in the morning on an empty stomach.

Already from the first days of delayed menstruation, you can not donate blood for hCG, but purchase a test in the store. The test strip must be dipped into the urine for a few seconds, and then pulled out and evaluated after 20 seconds. If the concentration of hCG in the urine is increased, then 2 strips will appear on the test. Only a doctor after a medical examination can more accurately determine the presence of pregnancy. That is why you should not go to the laboratory and, having received the result of the tests in your hands, make your own diagnoses. The specialist himself will direct the patient to the necessary studies. If the result of the analysis is negative, but nevertheless the woman experiences some anxiety, she can donate blood again in 1-2 weeks. This will remove all suspicion. If there is a pregnancy, then in a couple of weeks the concentration of the hormone in the blood will increase significantly.

In non-pregnant women and men, the concentration of hCG in the blood should not exceed 2.5-5 mU / ml. Already a week after the implantation of the embryo into the uterine wall, this figure is approximately 100-350 mU / ml. The concentration of hCG in the blood rises until about the 20th week of pregnancy, and then begins to decline.

The accuracy of a blood test for hCG is quite high. An error can only occur if the laboratory assistant confuses the biological material, or misinterprets the result of the analysis, or performs it incorrectly. The probability of such errors occurring is negligible.

Modern medicine has an extensive arsenal of ways to reliably verify the onset of pregnancy and determine its duration. One such method is to determine the level of human choriogonic gonadotropin (hCG) in the blood. The technique has almost one hundred percent information content and sufficient reliability.

This type of research is available to everyone, any biochemical laboratory can conduct an analysis.

What it is?

HCG is a hormonal substance of protein origin, which belongs to the class of gonadotropins produced by the anterior lobe of the pituitary brain and the chorion of the embryo. HCG actively begins to enter the blood vessels literally from the moment of fertilization of the egg and the formation of the embryonic embryo.

With the growth of the fetal egg, the amount of gonadotropin increases rapidly, but after 11 weeks of fetal development, its production decreases. To confirm pregnancy, the gonadotropin level can be determined by testing blood plasma or urine.

From the point of view of diagnostics, data on the amount of gonadotropin in the human body are of great value, since they can be used to determine whether a pregnancy is developing, whether there is a threat of miscarriage, and also to detect an ectopic pregnancy in a timely manner. With an artificial method of abortion, an analysis of hCG will show how well the operation was performed, and whether additional cleaning of the walls of the uterus from the remnants of the fetal membranes of the embryo is required.

In addition, the appearance of the hormone gonadotropin in the blood of a man or a non-pregnant woman may indicate the presence of a tumor that produces this hormone.

Thanks to gonadotropin, the hormonal support of pregnancy is activated, with its participation, the production of estrogen and progesterone begins, which are so important for the full formation of the embryo on early stages his life activity. Any pregnant woman has experienced the effects of chorionic gonadotropin on her body - nausea and vomiting, which so often torment future mother at the beginning of pregnancy, they are just the result of an increase in the level of hCG in the body.

As soon as the embryo is fixed in the uterus and the villi of the placental chorion begin to grow, gonadotropin appears in circulatory system, and after a couple of days - in the urine of a woman preparing for motherhood. All pharmacy express tests are based on this fact, which capture the borderline hCG indicator in a portion of urine. If it exceeds a certain threshold, the test shows the coveted two colored stripes, indicating that the woman will soon become a mother.

The most informative and accurate method for determining gonadotropin levels is blood plasma testing. It will very accurately show how much hCG is in the body at the time of the study, ensuring the accuracy of the result from the very beginning of the delay in the onset of menstruation. Undoubtedly, such a prompt diagnosis of pregnancy has certain advantages.

To determine the level of the hormone, there are special normative indicators of hCG, corresponding to the days of pregnancy from the moment of fertilization of the egg.

However, each laboratory, depending on the equipment used and its calibration, has its own standards in deciphering the obtained indicators. The level of hCG is indicated in mIU / ml - milliInternational units of substance content based on 1 milliliter of the studied blood volume. Normally, in a woman who is not pregnant, this indicator is zero or does not exceed 5 mIU / ml.

HCG functions

Gonadotropin performs a certain set of important functions during pregnancy.

• The embryo, which is attached for its further growth to the wall of the uterus, is perceived female body How foreign body protein origin. The immune system tries to cope with it and remove it from the body. However, hCG “turns off” this immunity function in the early stages of embryo development, so that a woman has the opportunity not to lose her pregnancy and allow the embryo to fully develop.
• HCG acts on certain areas of the brain, stimulating the production of those substances that the embryo needs for development.
• The level of hCG is also regulated as the embryo grows - the greater its degree of maturity, the less amount of hCG is produced by the body, and by the time the embryo passes the 11th week mark and becomes a full-fledged fetus, the hCG level drops to a certain norm and remains at this level until the end term.

• The quantitative indicator of gonadotropin changes in a certain way with pathological variants of embryo development.
• When the development of the fetal embryo stops, which happens in the first trimester, the gonadotropin levels still remain at a certain level for some time, and then, at the moment the embryo detaches from the uterine wall, the hormone abruptly ceases to be produced.
• With an ectopic pregnancy, gonadotropin in the blood is less than normal. If you look at its growth in dynamics, then it will be noticeably inferior to the rapid rate of increase observed with the uterine localization of the embryo. Sometimes, instead of an increase in hCG, it may decrease.

Using a marker of the level of gonadotropin in plasma, one can reliably find out how the growth of the embryo proceeds. If it does not comply with physiological norms, the necessary measures are taken in a timely manner.

How to submit correctly?

For analysis, blood is taken from a vein. It is best to do this in the morning, before 10 o'clock, without taking any food. However, if there is no possibility for morning blood donation, this can be done at any other time, but so that at least 8 hours have passed from the moment of taking any food. Before the test, you must tell your doctor about the drugs you are taking.

Drinking water is allowed at any time, even before the moment of taking blood, because it does not affect the hormonal background. On the eve of the test, try not to eat fatty and protein foods.

Plasma testing for the amount of gonadotropin in it can be done free of charge in the direction of the antenatal clinic or by own will at any medical center. The analysis time is approximately 3-5 hours, however, the fact that the apparatus is started only when the number of samples with the test material is a multiple of 15 plays a role.

Non-state medical centers are often only intermediaries in the transfer of the test material to large laboratories, so the waiting time for the result can be several days.

When to submit?

There are certain standards for taking blood for the hormone gonadotropin.

• It makes sense to test the level of hCG if there is a delay in the menstrual cycle for a period of more than 3 days or on the 12th day of the alleged conception. These dates are the most informative, and a study conducted earlier than these dates will not be accurate enough.
• After an abortion operation a blood test for the level of chorionic gonadotropin is taken on the second day after the operation. Doctors recommend doing a second test in 3-5 days, preferably in the same laboratory where the initial test was performed. This is necessary for a 100% guarantee of the success of the abortion.
• In order to confirm a woman's pregnancy and to determine its timing testing for hCG is also carried out twice - this is done in order to assess the extent of the increase in the amount of gonadotropin and confirm the fact of the viability of the embryo.
• To detect the pathological development of pregnancy blood for gonadotropin is taken twice - at the period from 8 to 12 and from 15 to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Normally, the indicators of the first analysis should be higher than the second.

When determining hCG results the first results of the test are not considered decisive, since it does not show the dynamics of updating the level of gonadotropin in the body. In addition, the indicator of the norm for each person is individual. In view of this, only by comparing the levels of growth in the amount of the hormone can one determine its increase or decrease, and the studies themselves are done at least twice.

Usually, venous blood sampling is performed to test the amount of gonadotropin, however, there are some laboratories that allow blood sampling from a finger. There is no reason to be afraid, since capillary and venous blood is the same biological environment that contains gonadotropin if there is a pregnancy. The choice of blood sampling method is explained by the fact that different laboratories use different equipment modifications.

Level by week of pregnancy

In order to confirm the presence of pregnancy and determine it exact dates, the analysis of the level of chorionic gonadotropin is done taking into account a certain day after the completed ovulation process. For the convenience of understanding the purpose of the appointment of an hCG analysis, it is abbreviated as DPO, which stands for "the day after ovulation." Such tests are carried out not for pregnant women, but for those women who are just planning motherhood.

The increase in the quantitative indicator of gonadotropin in this case does not occur as rapidly as, for example, during a pregnancy, where gonadotropin levels double every day. When reading the obtained data on the level of gonadotropin, the result will look like this: "10 DPO - 18 mIU / ml."

Any medical laboratory uses its own specific table of DPO values, where each day after ovulation corresponds to the minimum, average and maximum hCG level. The countdown in this table starts from day 7, and ends at 42 DPO.

According to averaged data, at 7 DPO, the minimum gonadotropin indicator will correspond to 2 mIU / ml, the average - 4 mIU / ml, the maximum - 10 mIU / ml. In total, the table contains 42 APE indicators. For comparison, 42 DPO has a minimum level of 28,000 mIU / ml, an average of 65,000 mIU / ml, and a maximum of 128,000 mIU / ml.

To monitor the results of the analysis for the level of hCG during an already completed pregnancy, there are also certain tables. The starting point in this case is the moment of attachment of the fetal egg in the uterus, this moment is indicated by the abbreviation DPP. The table will indicate the days of pregnancy and hCG levels.

It is worth noting that with a naturally occurring pregnancy and with a pregnancy created by in vitro fertilization (IVF), the tables will be separate. So, in the table for pregnant women by the IVF method, the days and indicators for embryos that were implanted on the 3rd (three days) and 5 (five days) days after fertilization will be indicated.

In the table for pregnant women whose embryo has attached to the uterus in a natural way, the table contains the day and the hCG indicator. In the analysis of hCG, the result looks like this: “18 DPP - 3550 mIU / ml” - this means that the 18th day of attachment of the embryo to the uterus corresponds to an hCG level of 3550 mIU / ml. The third and fifth days of embryo implantation are explained by the fact that during IVF, in order to increase the chances of a developing pregnancy, a woman is implanted with two embryos with an interval of several days between one and the other replanting.

The resulting analysis of the hCG level does not have to correspond to the tables that you will see on the Internet. As mentioned earlier, the calibration of devices and the standards for decoding indicators differ from each other in different laboratories.

How to decrypt?

The obtained indicators of the level of chorionic gonadotropin are compared with the standards of the norm and evaluated in dynamics. An increase in the content of the hormone in the blood indicates a normally developing pregnancy, and a decrease in indicators or a negative test result indicates a pathology of the development of the embryo or a pregnancy that has terminated for one reason or another. When deciphering the hCG indicators, it is imperative to take into account whether a woman has a singleton or multiple pregnancy.

So, with IVF, it often happens that both embryos attach and begin to develop in the uterus. In multiple pregnancy, hCG levels will be higher than in pregnancy with one fetus. For example, if the hCG indicator at 17 DPP of five days (the abbreviation is saved from the name of the day of attachment of the embryo) averages 2680 mIU / ml, then with a developing doubly normal average will be 5360 mIU / ml or more.

In order to identify severe pathologies in an unborn child, perinatologists suggest that a woman undergo not only ultrasound screening tests, but also check the level of hCG.

Particular attention is paid to the second trimester of pregnancy, when, in addition to an ultrasound examination, a woman is given a triple test of the level of hCG, AFP and the amount of the hormone estradiol. AFP is alpha-fetoprotein, which is a cancer marker. Summarizing the results of deciphering these three indicators, we can say the following.

• If in the background low levels of AFP and low estradiol the level of gonadotropin is greatly overestimated relative to the average norm, there is every reason to refer the woman for a consultation with a geneticist regarding the presence of Down syndrome in her child.
• If all three markers have a low level of performance, and the pregnancy continues to develop, a chromosomal abnormality called Edwards syndrome, or Patau syndrome, is suspected in the child. For more exact definition there is a certain number of techniques that geneticists are engaged in.
• If hCG levels are within normal limits, but AFP and estradiol are low, the child may be suspected of having Turner syndrome.

And although all predictions of such genetic abnormalities are made taking into account the woman's age, history, weight, bad habits, hereditary and other factors, important role in the diagnosis, the level of chorionic gonadotropin plays.

Regulatory indicators

The doctor should deal with the interpretation of the test results for the level of hCG in the body, since only an experienced specialist will be able to determine how normal the situation is. Tables of average norms for indicators of the level of chorionic gonadotropin are a fairly convenient tool to determine whether a woman has a pregnancy, as well as calculate the exact timing of an already formed pregnancy.

In view of the fact that to define the exact date conception, as a rule, is very difficult, gynecologists are guided by the first day of the last menstruation. In this case, we are talking about the so-called obstetric weeks pregnancies counted from the moment of ovulation. However, the obstetric period is quite approximate - in fact, the development of pregnancy in the uterus begins a little later. The embryonic term for the development of pregnancy differs from the obstetric one - it is always less than the expected one by about two weeks. This is affected by the length of the regular monthly cycle.

You can determine the exact embryonic gestational age using hCG, because the hormone begins to be produced from the very first hours of attachment of the embryo to the uterine wall, and its amount indicates the day the embryo develops. Finally, an ultrasound examination will help to clarify the timing of pregnancy.

Often, ultrasound in the walls of the uterus reveals a benign neoplasm - fibroids.

Some women worry about whether fibroids can be confused with a developing embryo. Doctors have an unequivocal answer to this question - fibroids do not affect the level of hCG, and a blood test for a tumor marker will help determine whether this is a benign formation.

As mentioned earlier, the variation in average hCG is quite large. However, some reference data still exist, but they cannot be taken as a standard:

• 2 weeks - 50-300 mIU / ml;
• 3-4 weeks - 1500-5000 mIU / ml;
• 4-5 weeks - 10000-30000 mIU / ml;
• 5-6 weeks - 20000-100000 mIU / ml;
• 6-7 weeks - 50000-200000 mIU / ml;
• 7-8 weeks - 100,000-200,000 mIU / ml;
• 8-9 weeks - 35000-145000 mIU / ml;
• 9-10 weeks - 32500-130000 mIU / ml;
• 10-11 weeks - 30000-120000 mIU / ml;
• 11-12 weeks - 27500-110000 mIU / ml;
• 13-14 weeks - 25000-100000 mIU / ml;
• 15-16 weeks - 20000-80000 mIU / ml;
• 17-21 weeks - 15000-60000 mIU / ml.

To determine whether the pregnancy has taken place or not, women independently use rapid tests containing reagents that determine the presence of gonadotropin in the urine. If the test showed one strip, the pregnancy did not take place, but if two strips are colored on the test, then there is a live embryo in the uterus. Often to this general analysis they resort at home when there is a delay in menstruation, however, such tests only help determine the fact of pregnancy, but do not inform about its correct location and development.

The level of hCG indicators is more informative. The norm is the content in the blood of a non-pregnant woman of hCG at a level of 0 to 5 MIU / ml, and we can talk about pregnancy with hCG 25 mIU / ml. Therefore, if the analysis obtained HCG result, equal, for example, to 7 mIU / ml, the question of pregnancy remains open and requires additional tests to analyze indicators in dynamics, since sometimes a number of tumors or diabetes mellitus give a slight increase in the level of hCG in the human body.

In the event that hCG is more than 25 mIU / ml, pregnancy can be assumed. In order to get an absolutely reliable diagnosis, the second test procedure for the level of hCG is carried out in a week.

If the indicator has increased several times compared to the previous level, pregnancy is fully confirmed. In addition, taking a blood test from a vein for the level of hCG will help an experienced doctor, based on the test results, recognize an ectopic pregnancy or a frozen development of the embryo in time. Late diagnosis of such pathologies can lead to serious consequences.

How accurate?

Quite often, women are worried about how reliable the analysis of the level of human chorionic gonadotropin in the blood is. The modern level of laboratory diagnostics allows for quick analysis and obtaining data with a reliability of 99.9%. A blood test conducted in the laboratory is considered much more accurate than rapid tests purchased from the pharmacy network to determine the expected pregnancy in the urine.

The hCG level testing method is available to every woman. In the event that there is a suspicion of a pregnancy, it is no longer necessary to wait for a delay in the menstrual cycle to confirm it.

In order not to be tormented by doubts, you can contact at any time women's consultation or any private medical center and get tested.