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hCG
The pregnancy hormone produced by the embryo's outer layer. Its level and trend confirm pregnancy and track its progress.
Other names: hCG, Human Chorionic GonadotropinSection: Hormones
Updated: August 31, 2026·MedProtect editorial team Reference information — not a diagnosis or a prescription
In shorthCG is the pregnancy hormone. Outside pregnancy the level is below 5 mIU/mL; in pregnancy it rises by week, roughly doubling every 2–3 days early on. A single value means little — the doctor judges the trend across paired tests plus ultrasound.
Reference ranges
Group
Reference range
Non-pregnant women and men
below 5 mIU/mL
Week 3 of pregnancy
5–72 mIU/mL
Week 4
10–708 mIU/mL
Week 5
217–8,245 mIU/mL
Week 6
152–32,177 mIU/mL
Week 7
4,059–153,767 mIU/mL
Week 8
31,366–149,094 mIU/mL
Week 9
59,109–135,901 mIU/mL
Week 10
44,186–170,409 mIU/mL
The source gives: below 5 mIU/mL when not pregnant; pregnancy ranges depend on the week and are very wide, so the growth trend matters more than any single value. Reference ranges vary between laboratories and assays — use the range printed on your own lab report.
Check your value
Enter the number from your lab report — see how it compares with the typical range. Mind the units shown in the chosen row.
A rough comparison with a typical range, not a diagnosis. Reference ranges vary between laboratories — check the range on your own report and let a clinician interpret the result.
What this marker is
hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a hormone produced by the embryo's outer layer soon after conception. Home pregnancy tests detect it, but a blood test is more precise: it gives the exact level and allows trend tracking.
In the first weeks hCG rises fast, roughly doubling every 2–3 days, peaking at 8–10 weeks, then declining and stabilizing. Slow growth or a fall makes the doctor suspect an ectopic pregnancy or a threatened miscarriage. Outside pregnancy, hCG is measured as a tumor marker in trophoblastic disease and germ cell tumors.
When it is high
PregnancyThe physiological cause: the level rises by week and runs higher in multiple pregnancies.
Trophoblastic diseaseMolar pregnancy and choriocarcinoma produce very high values outside or after pregnancy.
Germ cell tumorsSome testicular and ovarian tumors produce hCG — the test serves as a tumor marker.
hCG medicationIn fertility treatment the hormone is injected — a trace persists in tests for several days.
When it is low
No pregnancyBelow 5 mIU/mL is the typical result outside pregnancy.
Testing too earlyIn the first days after conception the level is still below the threshold — repeat the test in 48 hours.
Missed or ectopic pregnancyIn pregnancy, a level low for the week or falling calls for urgent medical review with ultrasound.
What can skew the result
These factors can shift the value without any disease — worth considering before a retest:
Gestational agehCG medication in fertility treatmentMultiple pregnancy
How to prepare
Blood from a vein, preferably in the morning while fasting. To confirm pregnancy the test is informative from the first days of a missed period; the key is the trend — the doctor usually orders a repeat in 48 hours at the same lab. Report any hCG injections from fertility treatment.
When a retest makes sense
To confirm and assess pregnancy — repeat in 48 hours at the same lab; afterwards as the obstetrician advises.
Who usually reviews this result
A result outside the reference range is usually reviewed by: obstetrician-gynecologist; for tumor questions — oncologist. Bring your lab report and any previous results to the appointment.
Names used on lab reports
Your report may use any of these names: hCGHuman chorionic gonadotropinbeta-hCGβ-hCGQuantitative hCG
Units
Measured in: mIU/mL
Several markers on your report?
See how MedProtect explains results in the app: the whole report, a check of the recognized values, and a clear breakdown.
A value above 5 mIU/mL suggests possible pregnancy, but early on the answer comes from the trend: in a developing pregnancy the level roughly doubles in 2–3 days. Repeat in 48 hours and show your doctor.
Why are the weekly ranges so wide?
hCG growth rates are individual, and dating by the last period is not always exact. Doctors therefore judge not the range fit but the growth rate across your paired tests.
Can hCG be raised in men?
Yes — in germ cell tumors of the testes, which is why hCG is ordered for men as a tumor marker together with AFP.
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