Beta HCG Test

β-hCG test may be ordered in the following cases:

• To confirm a pregnancy
• As part of a Down syndrome test for all pregnant woman at 12-13 weeks
• Gynaecomastia (enlargement of breast tissue in men)
• Early onset of puberty in children
• Before an obstetric imaging process
• To confirm the diagnosis of suspected cancers
• To diagnose the cause of non-viable pregnancies in the past
• As a part of cancer treatment

hCG test is also useful in detecting chromosomal abnormalities in foetus and assessing the growth and size of tumours.

No special preparations are needed for this test. It is always best to inform the doctor about any medicines or herbs that you are taking. Do not change the course of any medicines without the consent of the doctor. Also, let the doctor know about any previous medical conditions along with a detailed history of past pregnancies and reproductive health.

beta hCG test is essentially a blood test, for which, the sample is collected from a vein in the arm of the patient, at any time of the day.

During the process, a laboratory technician will tie a tourniquet around your arm to help locate a vein. He/ she will then clean the area on the arm and using a sterile needle, withdraw some amount of blood from a vein. This may cause a little discomfort, though it will disappear soon.

The blood sample will be deposited in a sterile vial and sent for testing. The technician will put a bandage or cotton gauze at the site of puncture to stop blood flow.

Some individuals may experience a mild bruise at the site of needle insertion, but it will fade away in a few hours.

Normal results:

Normal results would determine whether a woman is pregnant or not. Absence of β-hCG in blood indicates that the woman is not pregnant; presence of β-hCG indicates a possible pregnancy. In pregnant women, hCG rises steadily as the pregnancy proceeds, from above (25 U/L a value that indicates pregnancy) to 750 U/L within the first 4 weeks. Around the 13th week, the values of hCG can go up to 9,000-210,000 U/L. Here is a table depicting the changing values of beta HCG during pregnancy:

In men or prepubescent children, no hCG in blood indicates normal results.

Abnormal results:

In pregnant women:

If hCG levels do not follow the normal patterns during pregnancy, it could indicate an underlying condition like:

• Ectopic pregnancy
• Gestational trophoblastic disease
• Hydatidiform mole
• Choriocarcinoma

A higher than normal hCG level around the 16th week of pregnancy can indicate the presence of Down’s syndrome in the foetus.

Presence of hCG in a non-pregnant individual could be indicative of:

• Testicular or ovarian tumour
• Germline tumours in the brain
• Hepatoblastoma
• Liver cirrhosis
• Stomach ulcers
• Skin, stomach, lung, pancreatic or breast cancer

hCG test is not a diagnostic test for cancer; instead, it prompts the doctor to order more tests and identify the underlying condition if necessary. The doctor correlates the level of hCG in a particular disorder after processing results from other tests.

False-positive results may show up in post-menopausal women or marijuana smokers.

Disclaimer: All results must be clinically correlated with the patient’s complaints to make a complete and accurate diagnosis. The above information is provided from a purely educational point of view and is in no way a substitute for medical advice by a qualified doctor.