High HcG levels

miltbaby · April 2017

Hey everyone,
So at 4week 5 days I had my HcG levels (7500) and again at 5 weeks (12500). My dr had me come in for an u/s the next day 5 week +1 and they were able to see the gestational sac and yolk sac. The dr told me I was in the "gray zone" because with as high of levels they should have been able to see a fetal pole...however I thought that usually isn't until week 6? This is my first pregnancy and sick (literally with MS) about what these high levels could mean.

ameliabedelia-2 · April 2017

I had betas done at 4.5 weeks and my numbers were very high. A week later I had an ultrasound and we could only see the faintest hint of a pole when I'd hoped to see a heartbeat. A few days ago I had another scan and there was a strong heartbeat. 5w1d is super early to see much, regardless of of hcg levels

missbmama · April 2017

I don't really have advice but I'm in the same type of situation. My levels were at 26,342 at 7w (according to lmp) but 5 days before at my ultrasound there was only a sac and yolk sac. My midwife told me that my numbers were so high that she didn't need to see them double but she definitely expects to see a heartbeat at my next ultrasound. I'll be thinking of you and after my ultrasound I'll let you know if growth has happened! Maybe our babies are just slow growers

dkizz82 · April 2017

No advice but I worry about this too. My levels were 6265 at 5w. He scheduled an ultrasound for Monday. I'll be 6.3 weeks. I'm so nervous that we won't be able to see anything. Pleas keep us posted.

Tennis11785 · April 2017

No real advice - but just wanted to say I'll be thinking about you and hopefully your next appointment brings good news!

justsuzie · April 2017

I am in the same boat as well about not seeing as much progress based on LMP as the "norm".

5 weeks 6 day- Gestational sac, beginning of yolk sac
6 weeks 1 day- Yolk sac no fetal pole
7 weeks 1 day- embryo with tiny flicker of heartbeat (only 97)

So my doctor says that we need to see the fetus beginning to form and an elevated hb by 8 weeks 1 day in order to be cautiously hopeful. I feel a bit hopeful because I do have progress it's just a week behind normal rather than not progressing at all. And as for the HB. It starts off slow when it first starts beating and then picks up quite a bit if it is a viable pg. Hoping we just saw mine at the beginning stages.

Most early ultrasounds have a +/- week in dating because we are talking millimeters. I have done a lot of googling and from what I have found the results are 50/50. For every hopeful story I found, there was one that also ended in miscarriage. It seems like some of the success stories are attributed to late ovulation/ or implantation while others are attributes to slow growth at the beginning and then the baby caught up by 8-12 weeks. This is based on blog posts so who knows how accurate it can be. I have found A LOT of women that have not seen much on an early ultrasound and then gone on to have healthy pregnancies. Most of the miscarriage stories had growth that stopped completely or heartbeats that slowed down. Good luck, I know what you are going through!

And to the OP- when we saw the beginning of a yolk sac at 5 weeks 6 days (later than you) my dr wasn't considering a "gray zone". Different doctors have different opinions. Try not to look to deeply into what they said. I think they err on the side of caution.

whiska · April 2017

@miltbaby I'm sorry that the betas and u/s are causing so much anxiety!

My levels were 11,000 at 4+6 and 21,000 at 5+1. I was freaked(!!!) but my reproductive endocrinologist said that while it was high, still what she considered normal. I was so ready to go in for an u/s immediately but from what I've read you can barely see anything and it can cause more anxiety than it relieves, so I decided to wait. I had my first u/s at 7+0 and everything looked fine. She said the high levels were due to a "nice healthy implantation".

Also from what I've read hcg levels =/= embryo growth (sorry to contradict your doctor), especially if you know your dates. HCG betas can vary so much!! I'm 100% sure of my ovulation date and at the 7wk ultrasound LO measured exactly 7+0. So even though my levels were plenty high it's still unlikely we would have seen anything if I had demanded that u/s at 5 weeks because they're just too small at that point. I hope your future scan can give you more reassurance!!