[epiphany]

I'm a little confused by your management, so I'll just tell you about hCG testing so you can ask the right questions to your provider.

Serial hCG -
When there is complication such as an ectopic, or suspected non viable pregnancy, a serial hCG is often done to make sure that it's increasing at the proper rate - so you take two levels two days apart. In practice, though most practitioners just send you for an ultrasound when they suspect something wrong. Obviously this is not the case with you - you are just trying to find out IF you're pregnancy.

"STAT" test -
A home test is pretty reliable, and the urine test you take (I suspect that's what they call the STAT test) is exactly the same thing. It's just to detect the presence of abnormal amount of hCG (>5 to a very wide range) which determines that you are pregnant.


Quantitative -
"an increase over time", therefore, cannot be done with just one level, or as they call it, the quantitative test. I reality that's not very helpful because every women has such wide range and nobody really uses that to determine date. Your dating will be determined at this point by your LMP, or Last monthly period. In cases where someone cannot accurately recall her LMP or has very irregular periods a dating ultrasound is performed, but this has to be done in the first trimester - upto 13 weeks to be most accurate, because up to that time, embryonic/fetal growth is the same for everyone.

You should find out exactly what's going on, because you should be able to get a simple answer, and not be given the run around. Nobody needs to wait to tell you if you are pregnant. Pregnancy also comes with symptoms you can detect yourself. Breast enlargement, nausea and/or vomitting.

After three home tests it is time for you to call up for a prenatal appointment, if you are keeping this pregnancy. I would think about going back to a place that cannot give you a straight answer on something quite simple.

Good luck.

[WVUturtle514]

Hi epiphany.....thanks so much for your response. So here is what actually happened. Because the urine test I took at the Dr. was negative and I had already had a positive home test, the PA decided to send me to have a blood test done. Well, apparently this office had recently changed their policy on blood Hcg tests and this PA "didn't know" about it. The policy stated that they couldn't do STAT hcg tests anymore and were required to do quantitative tests (more than one blood draw), but the PA didn't tell me that I needed to have my blood drawn more than once. So when I called to get my results they couldn't "legally" tell me I was pregnant (my first level was 221) b/c the results were "incomplete" b/c I didn't have a second draw. I was furious and the PA said that she was very sorry....so I finally just went back in and retook their urine test, which of course was positive. So to make a long story short, I am now going to a different place which has midwives and a birthing center and hopefully it will be a much more pleasant, hassle-free experience.

[epiphany]

I'm glad it's worked out now.

[Belinda-wales]

Originally Posted by WVUturtle514

Can anyone explain to me the specifics of a quantitative HcG test as opposed to a STAT HcG test? I had a positive home test on Friday, so I went to the Dr. and she sent me for a quantitative HcG today. I called to get my results this afternoon and the nurse asked me if it was a STAT test. I told her no, that the Dr. ordered a quantitative test and then she told me that with a quantitative HcG they wouldn't have my results for 3-5 days. Then she said that what they are looking for is an increase or decrease in the HcG level over time. Why would they need to do this when all my Dr. wanted to do was confirm the pregnancy? I'm really confused and frustrated right now...

This is exactly why Doctors should stay out of pregnacy untill invited if their is a problem - I am so sorry you have had all this stress inyour early pregnancy - congratulations dont worry about HcG just enjoy knowning that you are in the early stages of the mircal - your body will do want ever with or without the blood test-