Patient's question:
Last menstrual period was on October 8th. On the 16th, ultrasound showed the largest left follicle was 1.1×1.0 and the right was 1.1×0.9. On the same day, I started injecting 75 units of urinary gonadotropin and continued for 6 days. On the 22nd, the follicle didn’t grow, with the largest being 1.2×0.9. The doctor said I was definitely ovulating this month and prescribed progesterone. The prescription was to take 2 pills every night from November 1st to 5th. If I really wanted to test for pregnancy, I could use a home ovulation test kit. If it showed strong positive, I should go to the hospital for an ultrasound.I used ovulation test strips on the 28th and 29th, and they showed strong positive. I had intercourse on the 29th and again on the 5th. As of today, it has been 8 days since stopping progesterone, and I haven’t had my period. At home, the early pregnancy test showed faint gray and pink lines. Today, I went to the hospital for a blood test, and the hCG was 8.69, with progesterone at 1.97.
The doctor said I was pregnant and asked me to come back on Friday for another blood test to check if the levels doubled. I’m very worried—why are the numbers so low? Could it be related to the small follicle size? Is there a possibility of a miscarriage? Or could I just be overthinking it? Maybe it’s too early, and the baby is still growing well.
Doctor's answer:
You're overthinking it. When you first conceive, hCG levels don't rise that quickly. At 1 to 2 weeks pregnant, it's typically 5 to 10. From 2 to 3 weeks, it's around 100 to 5,000. Between 3 to 4 weeks, it's about 500 to 10,000. hCG levels increase in a pattern. Since you're already pregnant, try to stay positive and don't worry too much. Don't put too much mental stress on yourself. Wishing the patient a speedy recovery, a healthy body, and a wonderful life.