hormones

Tanvi Tusti · Oct 25, 2006

Heres a question.. how long do post pregnancy hormones last, so if I had a baby 6 weeks ago, and took a pregnancy test, would it show up positive because I really am pregnant or because i just had a baby? Does anyone know?

Hi

hCG (the hormone produced in pregnancy), levels can be detected about 11 days after conception, doubling about every 72 hours until they reach a peak at 9-11 weeks when they decline and level off for the rest of the pregnancy. Most women can expect their hCG levels to return to a non pregnant range about 4-6 weeks after pregnancy, depending on how high the levels were at the end of the pregnancy. So a positve pregnancy test 6 weeks after birth MAY just be remnants from the pregnancy. I would leave it a week or so and if no period then and still a positve pregnancy test then you can assume you are pregnant. Hope this helps.

DRAGRACERMOM · Oct 25, 2006

My dr said that post emergency c-section, and I was NOT able to establish a GOOD breastfeeding routine ( I didn't produce much milk, barely 2 oz a day, unexplained), that it can take up to 8 weeks. However, if you aren't on b/c, and if your cycles have returned, or you think they might have, then the Hcg should be gone. I'm assuming by your question however, that you have NOT had menses since delivery?

I would call your dr for a blood hcg level, maybe to be repeated 48 hours later to see if level is increasing or decreasing.

Good luck.

Dragracermom

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 26, 2006

Please call your OB and check it out. If there is hcg in your blood, they can do a trending beta-hcg to see if levels rise or drop and treat you accordingly. There is no way anyone here can reassure you one way or the other, unfortunately. I hope all is well and you get the answers you need, very soon.

Take care and good luck!