Congratulations, you’re pregnant! Here’s everything you need to know about the beta hCG pregnancy blood test.
Wow, what a moment! You’ve done a pregnancy test at home and it is positive. You might have an idea of what to do next and that it would involve a blood test but might not know what the test means or when to have it. We’ve written a guide on the beta hCG blood test that we hope is useful!
So what is hCG?
Human chorionic gonadotropin (thank goodness there’s an abbreviation, right?) is a hormone the body creates during pregnancy. It is produced in the cells of the placenta. As the level of hCG rapidly increases, it can be used to measure the progress of early pregnancy. Women who have had IVF treatments rely on regular testing- for example and it is the same hormone detected by the home tests you buy over the counter.
When can I have a blood pregnancy test?
The hormone hCG can be found in the blood from 10 – 11 days after conception, so potentially you can be tested when your period was due but most women will ordinarily have a test shortly after missing their period.
What does the test show?
The test is quantitative, which is why it is so helpful. In other words, it isn’t positive or negative but gives a figure of measurement, that is interpreted by your doctor within certain ranges, depending on how long you’ve been pregnant.
Does the test tell me if my baby is healthy or not?
No single test result can indicate the viability of a pregnancy which is why a doctor would look at the trend of the results over a period of a few days. In general, the level of hCG should double every 48 hours in early pregnancy. This chart from the American Pregnancy Association shows expected ranges of hCG hormone by week of pregnancy.
What is the process for having a pregnancy blood test?
When you have tested positive on a urine pregnancy test, see your doctor to discuss next steps and have a beta hCG blood test. You can also book in with our clinic on the same day and receive same-day results. Our beta HCG test costs £60 and is available 5 days a week.
