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[nanismummy]

Hi all,

I have PCOS which makes my cycles very irregular.

The start of my last cycle was 08/10/2019 (5.5 weeks ago).

I took a pregnosis test on 07/11/2019 which was a very faint positive. Ultra faint. They got slightly darker each day and on the 10/11/2019 it was an obvious positive on both pregnosis and FRER.

I went for a blood test on 12/11/2019.

Today (14/11/2019) I got the results back and my HCG count is only 29. Various charts seem to show differing amounts but according to them I could be anywhere from 3 weeks to 5 weeks.

Today I took a digital pregnancy test (sensitivity of 25+) just to see how many weeks it would show and although it was very pale and diluted it only showed 1-2 weeks pregnant.

GP isn't concerned as I've had no bleeding, but is this normal? Anyone had a low HCG count almost a week after a positive urine test and everything turned out ok?

With my first my GP never gave me a HCG serum test at any stage - they did a dating ultrasound instead. But with this bubba they see a dating scan as too early (with #1 my scan showed I was 4w 0 days) so requested a follow up HCG serum test.

Just hoping this doesn't mean it will end in miscarriage or could be ectopic

[Froyo]

Unless you know exactly when you ovulated there's no way to compare your level to an average. Unfortunately you just have to wait and see what happens with repeat bloods. Everything crossed!

[Disydo2018]

My understanding is that the number doesn’t matter so long as it is doubling every 2ish days. Are you able to have a repeat blood test?

[rosie28]

I’m going to sound all negative here I’m afraid (I’ve been through similar twice this year). A week after a positive test it should be a lot higher than 29. I know people say it doesn’t matter as long as it doubles but for most people it does in fact matter. I’m not sure what the pregnosis brand can pick up, but with 29 a week later it would have been negligible so unlikely to show as positive.

The medians on betabase are a good resource if you’re interested.

Sadly all you can do is wait and test again. I’m sorry you’re stuck in limbo and I’ll cross my fingers for you!

[nanismummy]

Pregnosis claims it can detect from 8mUI but it was an extremely faint positive, wouldn't show in a photo. On the 10th it was an obvious positive but still not anywhere near as dark as the control line.

Hypothetically, if HCG roughly doubles every 48-72 hours, it *could* make sense to have a count of 29 now if it doubled from 8mui every 72 hours over 6 days from the first positive urine test to the day of the blood test. But a very slow increase.

The digital test I took today (2 days after blood test) makes me feel a little more hopeful as that can only detect from 25mui and said 1-2 weeks but was extremely diluted, so hypothetically if it was concentrated urine it may have had a higher level of HCG.

At this point I feel it could go either way. Some charts I've looked at online say my HCG is still technically in range for 3-5 weeks, just at the extremely low end of the scale. I know every pregnancy is different but at 4w0d with my first there was already a sac which I've read you have to have a HCG level over 1000 for that to form.

[nanismummy]

Following my last comment, if bloods were 29 two days ago and a digital urine test which is far less sensitive can pick up at least 25mUI in very diluted urine, surely this would mean it's increased in the past 2 days rather than dropped or stayed the same?

[Froyo]

Seeing a sac at 4w is extremely unusual. 1000 is definitely not usual at that stage. I think it's very likely you ovulated much earlier than you think that pregnancy.

[FeralRebelWClaws]

*mentions losses*

I had low HCG levels and really slow at doubling. After a few miscarriages I was seeing a fertility specialist and my first month of ovulation tracking I fell pregnant (not surprising really, I fell pregnant 4 times out of the 5 I tried.) Getting them to stick was the hard part.

So because I was through a FS I was getting bloods twice a week and they were NOT doubling every 2 days. At one stage it took a week to double. Then kept having me go for US to check growth. Every time the baby had grown exactly the correct amount. I had 5 ultrasounds by 12 weeks. By about 8 weeks they stopped doing bloods (they normally do it until 12 week) because it was causing more stress than anything.

That pregnancy with a super slow growing HCG resulted in a now very noisey, adorable, frustrating, cuddly now 3yo little boy.

Don't lose heart!

Edited by FeralRebelWClaws, 14 November 2019 - 07:39 PM.

[nanismummy]

Thanks FeralRebelWClaws, that definitely has me more hopeful! I read your comment out to DP who is trying to stop me from stressing/being paranoid and it prompted him to ask the question if HCG levels could be lower/increase more slowly when pregnant with boys. Did a quick google search and there's been a bit of research that supports that theory 🤔

[MrsLexiK]

I have PCOS I have low HCG levels in early pregnancy (but I also have had bleeding and not all were successful but I had low progesterone as well which got picked up due to the low HCG and previous issues), I also get HG. Mine don’t double. My OB was more concerned about the growth and appearance of the sac etc.

[LZTM]

Any update OP?

I’m in a similar position now. Blood test at what I was confident to be ~3w6d pregnant and hCG levels of only 122. Repeating today (6 days later) and just nervously awaiting results.