A blood test for hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin ) is currently one of the most reliable methods for diagnosing and determining pregnancy. This hormone is produced by the germinal membrane throughout the entire period of gestation, and the level of its concentration varies depending on the term. The highest numbers are observed for a period of 10-12 weeks.
When a woman gets a referral for this study, the question most often arises of how they donate blood for hCG. After all, this is one of the most exciting moments, so I want to prepare for it, as expected. Indeed, such a diagnosis requires special conditions that significantly increase the reliability of the results. The main rule that should be remembered by every woman going to the laboratory is that blood is donated to hCG on an empty stomach and nothing more! Why is this so important? The fact is that hormones are subject to absolutely any factor from the outside, as a result of which the numbers obtained can change in one direction or another. Accordingly, such an analysis cannot be considered reliable, and the consequences can lead to an incorrect diagnosis. That is why every pregnant woman needs to approach this issue with full responsibility and find out from the doctor all the details about how they donate blood for hCG.
What else does chorionic gonadotropin say?
Determining the level of this indicator can provide information about some other circumstances regarding the unborn child, namely:
- The presence of an ectopic pregnancy.
- Lack of placental nutrition.
- The presence of risks that contribute to miscarriage.
- Postponed pregnancy.
- The presence of defects in the fetus.
In addition, excessively elevated rates may indicate toxicosis, diabetes, multiple pregnancy and late gestosis. These circumstances once again emphasize the fact that you must know how to donate blood for hCG.
What is the difference between a normal pregnancy test?
Strange as it may seem, a urine test is carried out with the definition of the same indicator, i.e., hCG, but their effectiveness is not as high as in the blood. They can show a more accurate result at later stages of pregnancy. This is due to the fact that the concentration of hormones in the blood is several times higher than in the urine.
Possible mistakes
Even if you learned how to donate blood to hCG and did everything right, sometimes errors still happen. Most often this happens when a woman does not wait for a delay in menstruation. It is ideal to conduct such a study on the 10-12th day from the moment of conception.
If the blood on hCG is negative?
Sometimes, with obvious signs of pregnancy, the analysis demonstrates a low level, which may indicate an ectopic location of the embryo. If the results after high numbers suddenly began to show negative, then you can suspect a miscarriage beginning or a fetal freeze. In both cases, immediate hospitalization of a woman is required.