Help and honesty- Low HCG at 5 weeks & NHS GP question

[FernaFrey]

Hi all,

I had a private blood test yesterday (approx 5 weeks 1 day) and it came back as 119 IU/L which i know is low since the range should be 217- 7138.

I contacted my GP through their new online system asking for a blood test since i'm concerned it could be ectopic due to my low level, but i got fobbed off with a Congrats text that said 'if the pregnancy test is saying pregnant that there is enough to indicate viable pregnancy'. I was very surprised at this message!

So, how does everyone online seem to get tested every 2 days? Is that through the NHS or paying privately?

Thank you, feeling very disappointed :(

Hi OP, the NHS will typically only perform tests where there have been previous issues, or where there is something that shows a cause for concern. I know you are worried and early pregnancy is a very anxious time but 5 weeks pregnant is very very early. When you factor in actual ovulation date/time, time to fertilise, time to implant etc, you could easily actually only be 4 weeks pregnant meaning your private blood result is totally fine.

It’s easier said than done I know but unless you have got a reason to believe something is wrong, you need to believe the GP. You have had a positive pregnancy test, that means you are pregnant until proven/told otherwise. Congratulations x

These people are perhaps being tested through private fertility clinics, or paying for bloods via medichecks, etc. Or they may be under early pregnancy units for previous losses, or threatened miscarriage (i.e. bleeding).

In an otherwise normal early pregnancy there is no indication for testing beta HCG’s every two days.

Why did you have a blood test in the first place? Is there a reason?

The number itself is less important than whether it doubles. At 5w+1 mine was 14500 but that was extremely high. I went to EPU as I had a massive bleed and they did the blood tests, called me back later that day and because my HCG is so high they said they could scan me as with those levels something should show on a scan. So they actually didn't do further blood tests and just scanned me at 5w+4 and again at 7w+1.

Low level of HCG (according to your understanding) is not an indicator of ectopic pregnancy. Unilateral abdominal pain or shoulder tip pain are red flags for an ectopic.

hi all, thanks for your responses so fast- i really appreciate it.

I do probably look a little mad but we have been going through IVF with 3 failed cycles, and this is our first so it's all new. I had a blood test because I actually thought i'd had my period so i was very very shocked and wanted to check what's going on.

i'll keep my fingers crossed- thank you all :)

Have you been bleeding since falling pregnant? I got referred to the EPU for that, which resulted in a scan and blood tests to check if my levels were rising or falling.

If you have experienced any bleeding I'd try and push through your GP to get referred. Hope all goes well for you.

@FernaFrey If you think you've had a period make sure you tell your GP that. I had a similar thing where I had a period and then kept getting positive OPK's which after googling took a HCG test and turned out to be pregnant.

I called GP as I had no idea how far along I was, line was quite dark but I'd had a period 2 weeks before. Got seen same day by GP and the referred same day to EPU - luckily my GP immediately recognised it could be ectopic.

Sadly mine indeed turned out to be ectopic. I didn't have any pain whatsoever with my ectopic until it ruptured 2.5 weeks later - then I got what felt like bad period pains and what felt like trapped wind. I never got the one sided pain and shoulder tip pain people mention. Also being already monitored by EPU meant I could skip A&E and go straight to surgery so I'd definetly ask to seen by your EPU if you're at all worried it's ectopic.

I think the majority of people who were/are tested every 2 days will have been referred to the EPU. In my area you can self-refer by calling them directly, however they will usually only see you if you are reporting pain, bleeding, etc. As others have said, you need to be concerned about HCG doubling, not necessarily the figure - are you in a position to have another private blood test done in a couple of days and then take it from there, dependant on the result?

Thanks for all the helpful information. Yesterday took a turn- I had severe period like pains, so bad i was double over in pain. They were really bad :(
Had dark red gloopy blood too.

Went to A&E where they internally examined me, took my bloods again which are 133 after 119 the previous day. Going back for more tomorrow and I guess a scan next week. I know it's not looking good. Just want to know now. Obviously am really hoping it to not be an ectopic :(

Thanks again all xx

I'm still surprised that you're pregnant and bleeding and no one is scanning you! Especially since you appear to have slow rising hcg and are in pain.
As I said a painful period is what it felt like when mine ruptured - within a few hours I had 2 litres of blood in my abdomen - no pain worse that bad period pains and a bit of trapped wind and felt fine in myself.

I really hope it's not an ectopic pregnancy but I'm just shocked drs aren't taking it seriously.

A friend of mine had an ectopic and was dismissed by drs - they literally said she was drunk - she wasn't drinking as she was pregnant, it was simply how you appear when you lose so much blood. They didn't believe her until her heart stopped. Luckily they managed to resuscitate her and she lived to tell the tale, but many drs don't seem to take it seriously.

There’s nothing to see on a scan until 6 weeks, so it is serial HCG’s until that point.

There was at mine @CaraMiaMonCher no heartbeat but the sac and fetal pole were there. But they don't like scanning before 6 weeks and the EPU midwife said they normally refuse when they send for a scan unless like it my case the HCG was very high.

That is mad about your friend! So glad she was ok in the end.

Well, the hospital called me back just now, bloods again tomorrow and they said after this result they will scan me. Said it's too early to scan, but bloods will be a good indicator of where this is going. Sounds bad but at this point I'd rather the HCG just drops so I know where we are at.

Thought I would update this for anyone in the future. My bloods yesterday had dropped more than double to 50, so it’s gone. I’m honestly more relieved than anything because I was worried about an ectopic.

We move on with hope. Thanks to everyone who replied to me in my panic mode xxx