Q&A: I am concerned with high levels of hCG, but I don't know if I should be.

by Dr. Gerard M. DiLeo

At 5 weeks, 2 days pregnant I had a Beta HCG test. The result was 13,504. Four days later it was 36,000. Should I be concerned with the high levels?

No. It's not unheard of to have levels in the hundreds of thousands, although this early on would raise the suspicion of twins or something we call a "hydatidiform mole," which is a rare abnormality of pregnancy that is obvious on ultrasound.

More than likely, everything's normal, although a large amount of hCG can sometimes mimic hyperthyroidism. I can guess, though, that your health care provider has already been through this entire checklist, so if he or she isn't concerned, then you shouldn't be either.

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