Question about beta purpose?

Justabean3

Why do they do them?

I'm just asking because they can't do anything to prevent the loss can they if one is going to occur? Are they done to better prepare mom, give you an idea or why?

I'm not trying to sound harsh. I get it is a diagnostic tool but why

Justabean3

That is what I wondered. I would think that too but I know so many people get them.

Justabean3

Yes I would but they do sonograms at 6 weeks.

I have nothing against them I just don't get it.

Jennyanydots26

They are pretty important in the case of ectopic pregnancies. For instance, I had a positive pregnancy test at home, but when I went to the doctor, their test was negative. They sent me for betas, which showed I was pregnant, but my numbers were super low and not doubling. That got me sent to an Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit, where they did a transvaginal ultrasound, which didn't show anything. Over the next 10 days or so, I continued to get betas taken which confirmed their suspicions of an ectopic (still rising, but low). Eventually they were able to see the fetus growing in my tube and I had the operation.

If I never had those initial betas taken - the doctor could have just thought my home pregnancy test was a false positive and who knows that would have happened with my ectopic - possible rupture, maybe. So definitely necessary sometimes!

toomanycats1

They are necessary in some cases, and be thankful you don't understand why.  

Some of us have infertility issues, or a history of ectopic or repeat losses, and running betas early on can give you a hint as to the health of the pregnancy.  If nothing else, it can give us some well needed peace of mind in the beginning, when we are scared to death of the unknown.  

There is nothing worse than thinking everything is fine for weeks, and then getting blindsided with the information that you've had a missed m/c.  Also, slow rising betas are an indication that the embryo is probably not viable, and then a woman can prepare herself for the worst.  

For some people, seeing a heartbeat on an u/s, does not necessarily mean their m/c risk is lower, so betas can be used in addition to u/s to get a "bigger picture" of the situation.    

mb314

Even though I've had some spotting with this pregnancy and with my last, my midwife hasn't brought me in for betas.  If my spotting got worse, I guess they would.  But for normal pregnancies and if you don't have a history that would cause any concern, I think they're an unnecessary test. 

HopeNotLost

For my first three pregnancies, I never had betas checked.  For my fourth I did, because I had a tubal ligation, and they were concerned about an ectopic pregnancy.  While I am stressed out right now because my betas were low when they were checked 6 times, I have had time to kind of prepare myself for the worst.  I still have hope in this pregnancy, but if it doesn't continue...at least I won't be blindsided.

rlyttle

I got them tested this time because I've had 2 losses. It's not a good feeling when you go to hear the HB and you find out that your baby died a few weeks ago. So if you get your betas checked early you can get reassurance that the pregnancy is viable. 

MMason12

Justabean3 said:

Yes I would but they do sonograms at 6 weeks. I have nothing against them I just don't get it.

Not sure if you have ever had a ultrasound at 6 weeks, but at that point having an ultrasound to check the viability of a pregnancy is basically pointless. 

greeneyed_bride

theresat858 said:

I would get betas done if I was having spotting/other pregnancy concerns when it was too early for an ultrasound, because for me, I'd rather *know* if my pregnancy might be viable (betas increasing) or *know* that is likely not viable (betas not increasing as they should) than be stuck in limbo land for longer than necessary.
Yes, you can't prevent a miscarriage - but if you were going to lose your baby, wouldn't you rather know at 6w, if you could, than wait to know until the day when you are passing the baby at 8w?

This. I have a good friend who found out at 13 weeks (when she had her first ultrasound) that the baby had stopped developing at 7 weeks. She had morning sickness the entire time, but her baby had stopped developing a month and a half earlier. So for six weeks, she thought she was having a healthy pregnancy when in fact the pregnancy was no longer viable. She ended up having to have a D&C because her body didn't miscarry naturally.

I'd definitely want to know sooner rather than later in a case like that. It was really rough on her to find out three months into her pregnancy.

Justabean3

MMason12 said:

Not sure if you have ever had a ultrasound at 6 weeks, but at that point having an ultrasound to check the viability of a pregnancy is basically pointless. 

I did actually with this pregnancy as a dating u/s at 5w6d and saw hb of 110 so I don't find it pointless. I mean granted this doesn't make it viable but you can miscarry at any time.

divinemsbee

OP, I'm assuming you're honestly asking a question and aren't trying to stir the pot. Probably because of my past experiences, the way this question was phrased is getting my dander up, and the way you are responding is touching a nerve here.

To be clear, I don't think that everyone needs to run out and get betas. If you have a history of normal pregnancies and no spotting, or other indications, there's really no reason to rush out and get them. It's not a club I'd ever wish anyone to be in. I'm also very aware that there's really nothing to be done to prevent 1st Trimester losses unless it is a blood clotting disorder or maybe progesterone and is caught very early.

However, betas are an important diagnostic test. It's great that you, OP, saw a heartbeat just before six weeks. But a lot of women, even those that go on to have healthy pregnancies, won't see a heartbeat that early.

Especially when dealing with losses or recurrent losses, betas give the doctors a better idea of what's going on. If a woman miscarries (and there's nothing to be done about preventing it) but still has rising betas, it can be a sign of retained tissue. Without betas, the doctors might not know that and it can lead to a host of issues, some life or fertility threatening. It's also a peace of mind thing, and, in some cases, allows the mother and doctor to move on into the next phase of what might be medically needed.

Story time: My last pregnancy, since I'd had two losses before, we started betas immediately. I had low progesterone so I was started on supplementation. The betas were low but doubling, and then they didn't double and then they dropped a bit. When I started bleeding, my doctor and I assumed I was going through a natural miscarriage. When I hadn't stopped heavily bleeding a week later, I went back in and I had much higher betas, although not doubles. Which is a huge indicator of ectopic pregnancy. If they hadn't checked my betas then, I would have possibly been in big trouble. Fortunately, we are now able to closely monitor what's going on.

Again, I'm really happy for anyone who's able to go through their pregnancy not seeing a point to betas. And I agree that for the majority of pregnancies, they're going to turn out okay and don't need them and it's not something to rush to the doctor for. But questioning the point of them just because you don't need them strikes me as a bit odd.

Justabean3

I'm not trying to stir honestly. I didn't feel by the responses it seemed I was... Sorry if it seems that way

I don't judge anyone getting betas or doctors that do them. I just asked why. 

It isn't odd if every other post is about betas and numbers so I asked what is the point in them as in why are they needed. I got answers which none are wrong because I honestly don't know. 

 Better to ask a question than to sit in ignorance.

If the answer was only peace of mind I would say ok to that too. I only wondered. I don't get it so that was why I asked.

Edited: rephrased

mrsdanielleM2010

@justabean3 in my case, we tested betas because as long as they were going up at a good pace, I had to support the pregnancy with a mega dose of progesterone. The progesterone made me need to sleep 16 hours a day, nauseous beyond anything I could have imagined before, and so constipated I already have two hemis. If my hcg quants placed this pregnancy on the same shelf as my others, I would have stopped the progesterone, since it also prevents the body from "releasing" a miscarried baby in some cases.

Jenrileysmom

With my last pregnancy I went to a doctor I had never been to before and their standard practice was to do blood draws every 2-3 days until the levels reached 10,000 and then they would schedule an ultrasound. I had so many blood draws and mine were just not going up as they should and they did an ultrasound anyway. I thought I should have been about 8 weeks but the ultrasound dated me at 6 weeks 4 days based on measurements. I was able to see a heartbeat but I really felt like their dates didn't match up with mine, Since we saw a heartbeat, they told me not to worry. I started bleeding brown blood at 11 weeks 4 days and found out that the baby had died at around 7 weeks, right after I had had that ultrasound, 

With all that being said, I think all the blood work was unnecessary and caused me a lot of stress and sleepless nights since they didn't offer any type of solution or additional testing or even explanations of what they were for or meant. I never even heard of HCG or beta tests before that since my previous doctor didn't do them at all. 

KingLED

Justabean3 said:

Yes I would but they do sonograms at 6 weeks. I have nothing against them I just don't get it.

It's a hell of a lot cheaper and easier to get a couple blood tests than to get a sonogram.  Not too much of a stretch to assume that's the reason they are used as a diagnostic tool over everyone getting early scans all the time.   Also, most people that have to have betas drawn have them drawn before the 6-7 week mark when an u/s would actually be useful. 

Justabean3

I'm glad this didn't go south so thanks for tolerating my questioning. I'm an information type person and my curiosity and thinking gets in my way.

So thanks.

mb314

I think OP's question is legitimate.  With my first, I saw on the bump boards everyone posting about Betas and I was confused because my midwife practice doesn't do them.  It took a lot of lurking to figure out what the betas were for and who tended to get them. 

rae_dylanzmom

I also appreciated the discussion, and thanks ladies for not flaming her for asking. I've never had betas mentioned in two pregnancies and a m/c; but I see them mentioned here quite a bit.