Facts I’ve learned about beta hcg levels
1. In a normal healthy uterine (IUP) pregnancy beta hcg levels should “double” every 2-3 days in the first few weeks then it slows down and can even plateau as the pregnancy progresses
2. A rise of at least >53% in 48 hours is acceptable for a normal IUP
3. A rise of <35% in 48 hours signals big trouble
4. Hcg levels are the signal of a healthy pregnancy and there’s nothing you can do to help it rise and raising it artificially with shots will not delay or resolve the inevitable
5. An early slow rise in the first few weeks indicates a possible ectopic pregnancy whereas an initially normal rise that slows below the acceptable doubling threshold indicates potential impending miscarriage
6. Most miscarriages are caused by chromosomal problems and are just bad luck. It was doomed to failure from the beginning as soon as sperm met egg. About 1/3rd of embryos have chromosome issues that make them incompatible with life.
7. Hcg is an indicator for the health of the placenta and it also tells your body to make progesterone which helps you stay pregnant.
8. If your hcg level dips the odds of it rising again are very very slim. Usually a drop = miscarriage. Rare exceptions include vanishing twin syndrome where one twin fails and gets reabsorbed but the second twin survives.
9. Your hcg level has to be over 1,000 at a minimum to see anything on an ultrasound
10. Having a higher BMI is correlated with lower hcg levels however it doesn’t affect the doubling rate
