HCG levels

[altarflame]

I've been thinking I'm a certain "amount" of pregnant, and dating my pregnancy as such. This was based on Shari the midwife telling me that my initial bloodwork, taken on August 1, said I was 1-1.5 weeks pregnant. I added on 2 weeks for "gestational age" and have gone from there. I've consistently measured big even for my normal prengnancy bigness, and just had an ultrasound and fundal height measurement done that read 29w4d, and 30w, respectively. I thought I was only 27w0d, though, and was glad I had that initial bloodwork to fall back on as "proof" of that, should I need it at any point as the pregnancy progresses. I asked someone at the center if we could find that August 1 blood result so that I would have it as ammunition if anyone tried to date me further than I was just because I'm carrying a big baby (like what happened with Isaac).

BUT...today I got a call from someone who finally found the results (they were very busy that day and said they'd get back to me, since it was old and wasn't right there where'd they'd thought it would be). It was Angie, the midwife who told me Jake had a lot of hair she could feel while he was still inside, not that that is relevant. Anyway, Angie said she found the results and that as of August 1 my blood levels of HCG were 2?? - I can't remember if she said 227 or 272. Either way, she said that means I was between 1-3 weeks pregnant.

Well...if I could have been 3 weeks pregnant at the time - that means that I could really be 29 weeks now. Which would explain a little of why I'm so freaking big even for me, and measuring two weeks ahead of someone else at the same place who was huge for her, and it would mean the ultrasound and fundal height stuff were "only" one week ahead, which kinda makes sense.

Does anyone know enough about this junk to tell me what they think? If I'm trying to figure out when to travel for my birth it could come into play. I was planning on leaving around 39 weeks on the premise that I went late last time, and my mom and sister were late as well. But if 39 is actually 41, that is a whole other story. I was charting when we conceived (to avoid conception, no less) but my cycle went COMPLETELY haywire that month - which is why I'm pregnant now. I think it's because of Isaac weaning, but I may also have had a very early miscarriage rather than a period the month before, based on weird associated symptoms. What I'm saying is I really have no way of knowing which is more likely ovulation-wise...but when she SAID 1-3 weeks, rather than 1-1.5, it immediately clicked in my head as making total sense and now I FEEL like I'm 29 weeks and just measuring a week ahead cuz I'm like that. I know you should always try to keep the earlier number in your head so you don't start going postdates impatient crazy before you're actually there, but if I have to plan a trip I need to know the earlier time....

I guess to some degree I'm just rambling, but I'm sure someone reading this knows something about it. I mean, Shari - she knows a little bit about this crap, you know? Why would she tell me 1-1.5 if that wasn't accurate? Bah.

Comments

[erinmdmd.livejournal.com]

I have a pretty good abilty to see things in charts that other people overlook. I don't know if you chart online, or want to just type in a list of temps/dates or something, but I could look and see if I notice anything....

[breathbox.livejournal.com]

i think its pretty hard to figure pregnancy based on hcg levels as they can vary widely from woman to woman...the levels they give you for each week of development are pretty wide spread.

wish i could help.

becky*

[babyslime.livejournal.com]

If you've got a 1-3 week margin, I say put yourself in the middle and travel at the "average" 39.5 weeks.

[the-waker.livejournal.com]

I don't know much about this, but here's a page that may be helpful :)

http://pregnancy.health-info.org/articles/hcg.html