Beta hcg: pregnancy hormone guide
The presence of the beta hcg hormone is a clear indication of the beginning of a pregnancy and can be detected in 2 ways.
In this article you will find all the answers to the questions about the pregnancy hormone thanks also to the contribution of the Midwife Maria Chiara.
1. What is beta hcg?
HCG stands for human chorionic gonadotropin and is a glycoprotein made up of two subunits: alpha and beta.
The one we are interested in to verify the beginning of a pregnancy is the beta one.
In fact, it is possible to detect the presence of this hormone from the moment implantation occurs.
What is this hormone used for?
The main functions of beta hcg:
- Produce progesterone to make the uterine wall, or endometrium, a suitable environment for the development and growth of the pregnancy;
- Activate the production of proteins which, together with estrogen, strengthen the wall of the uterine muscle;
- It intervenes in the immune response of the woman's body so as not to reject the fetus.
2. How is beta hcg measured?
Beta hCG can be measured through a blood test or through urine with a pregnancy test.
Certainly, it is measured to determine the presence of a pregnancy.
Since the hormone is already present at implantation, which occurs approximately 7 days after conception, it will be possible to detect it in the mother's blood after a couple of days.
At first, this hormone is produced by pre-embryonic cells and these will give rise to the placenta , which will then produce beta hCG.
Levels double every 48 hours for the first few days, so the longer you wait, the easier it will be to detect.
The advantage of performing a dosage through a blood test is also that of knowing exactly when conception occurred based on the value detected.
In fact, home pregnancy tests , having a detection limit, are usually able to verify the presence of beta hCG only a few days before menstruation .
It must be taken into account that it is possible to have altered values in the case of:
- Taking certain medications;
- Urinary infection;
- Recent birth or abortion.
My advice is always to wait for the delay to avoid false negatives.
To understand how and when to take a home pregnancy test, I suggest you read my dedicated article.
When is blood sampling necessary?
The dosage of this hormone is usually done only in some cases:
- Assess for the presence of an ectopic pregnancy;
- Monitor a threatened miscarriage;
- Rule out pregnancy if you have to start therapies or medical procedures that are incompatible with the pregnancy;
- Search for fetal anomalies, through screening tests such as the bi test;
- Assess the presence of tumors, both malignant and benign, at the ovarian or testicular level.
So, it is not normally done for a normal pregnancy unless in the first ultrasound it is not possible to see the embryo and what is seen does not correspond to the gestational age.