hCG Levels by Week: Beta hCG Chart and What Your Numbers Mean (India 2026)
November 7, 2026
Cloudnine
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hCG Levels by Week: Beta hCG Chart and What Your Numbers Mean (India 2026)
November 7, 2026
Cloudnine
No items found.
Normal hCG levels by week vary widely: about 5 to 426 mIU/mL at 4 weeks and 1,080 to 56,500 mIU/mL at 6 weeks from your last period. In a healthy early pregnancy, beta hCG usually rises by at least a third to a half every 48 hours. The rise between two tests tells your doctor far more than one number.
Beta hCG levels chart: normal hCG levels in pregnancy by week
Beta hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is the pregnancy hormone made by the cells that later form the placenta. A quantitative serum beta hCG test measures the exact amount in your blood, in milli-international units per millilitre (mIU/mL). Weeks are counted from the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP), not from conception.
Table 1. Normal beta hCG levels by week of pregnancy (weeks from LMP)
These are reference ranges from the Cleveland Clinic hCG guide. Treat them as a guide, not a pass or fail line, because every laboratory sets its own beta hCG test normal range.
Weeks from LMP
Typical hCG range (mIU/mL)
What it usually means
3 weeks
5 to 50
Implantation is just happening; many tests are still negative
4 weeks
5 to 426
Around the time of a missed period
5 weeks
18 to 7,340
Widespread is normal; the rise matters more
6 weeks
1,080 to 56,500
A sac is usually visible on a vaginal scan
7 to 8 weeks
7,650 to 229,000
Heartbeat expected on scan
9 to 12 weeks
25,700 to 288,000
Peak range for most pregnancies
13 to 16 weeks
13,300 to 254,000
Levels start to fall and level off
Not pregnant
Below 5
Negative result
• Below 5 mIU/mL is negative. MedlinePlus lists less than 5 mIU/mL as the normal value for women who are not pregnant.
• Above 25 mIU/mL usually means pregnancy. If it's between 5 and 25, your doctor will usually repeat the test in a few days.
• hCG peaks around 10 weeks. It then falls slowly and stays lower for the rest of the pregnancy.
• Charts disagree, as expected. The NIH MedlinePlus table gives 152 to 32,177 mIU/mL at 6 weeks, a very different spread from the chart above. Compare your number with your own laboratory's range.
What is beta hCG and how is it measured?
A home urine test answers one question: is hCG present? A blood test can be qualitative, giving the same yes-or-no answer, or quantitative, giving an exact number. When your doctor in India writes "serum beta hCG", they almost always mean the quantitative version.
The quantitative test is the one that helps estimate how far along you are, follow a pregnancy at risk of miscarriage, and look for an ectopic or molar pregnancy. No fasting is needed, and results usually come back within hours to a day.
Dating errors explain many "low" results. If you ovulated late in a long cycle, a "5 week" result can look low simply because you are really closer to 4 weeks. That is one reason a single report should never be read in isolation, and why your doctor will ask for the first day of your last period. If your home test is still negative, read our guide to how early you can take a pregnancy test before you worry.
How fast should hCG rise? Doubling time explained
In a healthy early pregnancy, beta hCG usually rises by at least 33 to 49 percent in 48 hours, depending on the starting level. The old rule that it must double every 48 hours is a simplification. In a large US study of 285 women with symptoms who went on to have healthy pregnancies, the slowest normal 48-hour rise depended on the starting number. The higher the first value, the slower the expected rise.
Table 2. Minimum expected 48-hour rise in beta hCG by starting level
These figures come from Barnhart and colleagues, Obstetrics and Gynecology 2016, also used in the American Academy of Family Physicians review of ectopic pregnancy. A rise below these figures is a reason for review, not a diagnosis.
First beta hCG result
Minimum rise expected in 48 hours
Example
Below 1,500 mIU/mL
At least 49 percent
400 should reach about 600
1,500 to 3,000 mIU/mL
At least 40 percent
2,000 should reach about 2,800
Above 3,000 mIU/mL
At least 33 percent
4,500 should reach about 6,000
The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) uses simpler action thresholds when a pregnancy's location is still unknown. Two samples are taken 48 hours apart. A rise above 63 percent suggests a developing pregnancy, a fall above 50 percent suggests the pregnancy is unlikely to continue, and anything in between needs review within 24 hours.
Is 1,500 hCG at 4 weeks normal?
A 4-week hCG of 1,500 mIU/mL can be normal. It sits above the typical 4-week range of 5 to 426, which most often means ovulation happened earlier than your dates suggest. Sometimes it reflects twins, and rarely a molar pregnancy. A repeat test in 48 hours and a scan at 6 to 7 weeks will show which.
What is a strong hCG level at 5 weeks?
At 5 weeks, anything from 18 to 7,340 mIU/mL can be normal. There is no single "strong" number. At 6 weeks pregnant, the usual range widens to 1,080 to 56,500 mIU/mL. A value of a few hundred that rises by half or more over 48 hours is more reassuring than a single high reading with no follow-up.
Is 5,000 hCG good at 7 weeks?
A 7-week hCG of 5,000 mIU/mL is below the usual 7- to 8-week range of 7,650 to 229,000. It is not a verdict on its own. Late ovulation can explain it, so your doctor will look at a vaginal scan for a sac, a fetal pole and a heartbeat before drawing any conclusion.
When can a scan see the pregnancy?
Most pregnancies inside the womb are visible on a transvaginal scan once hCG reaches about 1,500 mIU/mL. Because some healthy pregnancies are not seen until higher, the AAFP review supports a cutoff as high as 3,500 mIU/mL before an empty uterus is treated as a warning sign in a wanted pregnancy.
What causes low or very high hCG levels?
A number outside the chart has a short list of usual explanations. Your doctor works through them with a repeat test and a scan.
Low or slow-rising hCG can mean:
• Earlier pregnancy than you think. Late ovulation is the most common and least harmful reason.
• Ectopic pregnancy. A pregnancy outside the womb, usually in a tube, often shows a slow rise or plateau [1][6]. Even a rise above 63 percent does not rule it out, so you still need a scan.
• Miscarriage or chemical pregnancy. A chemical pregnancy is a very early loss picked up only by an hCG test. Falling levels usually mean the pregnancy is not continuing. If you have Rh-negative blood, ask about anti-D; our article on Rh negative status and miscarriage explains why.
• Blighted ovum. A sac forms without an embryo.
• Laboratory differences. Two labs can report different numbers on the same blood, so repeat tests at the same lab.
Very high hCG can mean:
• Twins or more. Multiple pregnancies tend to produce higher levels.
• Dates are further along than thought. Earlier ovulation shifts you up the chart.
• Molar pregnancy. Abnormal placental tissue growth causes very high hCG and is confirmed by scan and tissue testing.
What to do next: repeat tests and IVF results
When should you repeat a beta hCG test?
Repeat a beta hCG test 48 hours after the first one, at the same laboratory, whenever the first result is borderline, lower than expected for your dates, or you have pain or bleeding. NICE advises against repeating it sooner than 48 hours, and a senior doctor should decide any further tests [4].
Table 3. What the 48-hour change usually leads to (NICE NG126)
This table summarises the NICE pathway for a pregnancy whose location is not yet known [4]. Your own doctor may adjust it to your history.
Change over 48 hours
What it suggests
Usual next step
Rise above 63 percent
Developing pregnancy in the womb likely
Vaginal scan in 7 to 14 days, earlier if hCG is 1,500 or more
Fall above 50 percent
Pregnancy unlikely to continue
Urine pregnancy test 14 days later; support offered
Rise below 63 percent or fall below 50 percent
Unclear, ectopic not ruled out
Clinical review within 24 hours
Beta hCG levels after IVF and embryo transfer
After embryo transfer, your clinic will usually check beta hCG about 9 days after a Day 5 blastocyst transfer, or around 14 days after a Day 3 transfer. A good result is any clearly positive value that then rises well over 48 hours. In a study of 424 IVF patients at a tertiary centre in India, a Day 14 level of 468 mIU/mL best predicted a live birth after Day 3 transfers.
Table 4. Beta hCG after embryo transfer: what published studies report
The figures below come from two cohorts. They describe groups of women, so use them for context, not as a personal cutoff.
Situation
What the study found
Day 14 after a Day 3 (cleavage stage) transfer, India
468 mIU/mL was the best predictor of live birth, with 75 percent sensitivity and 72 percent specificity
Day 9 after a single fresh blastocyst transfer
Average level in pregnancies ending in live birth was about 172 IU/L, versus about 50 in biochemical losses
Frozen versus fresh blastocyst transfer
Day 9 levels were higher after frozen transfers for every outcome group
Two IVF-specific points matter. First, the hCG trigger injection given before egg collection can stay in your blood for days, and fertility medicines can cause a false positive, so test only on the day your clinic gives you.
If your blood test is positive but a home test stays negative, our explainer on false-negative pregnancy tests explains why urine and blood can disagree.
How much does a beta hCG test cost in India?
A serum beta hCG test costs about Rs 500 to Rs 3,000 per test in India, and most women need two tests 48 hours apart. Follow-up costs depend on what the numbers show, from a single vaginal scan to treatment for an ectopic pregnancy.
Table 5. Beta hCG test and related care: indicative costs at Cloudnine Fertility
Ranges are indicative figures supplied by Cloudnine Fertility and are not yet confirmed against the audited price sheet. Prices vary by city, centre and whether care is day care or admission.
Test or procedure
Indicative cost (INR)
When it is needed
Serum beta hCG, quantitative
Rs 500 to Rs 3,000 per test
Confirming and tracking early pregnancy
Pelvic or transvaginal ultrasound
Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,500
Locating the pregnancy, checking heartbeat
Serum progesterone
Rs 800 to Rs 1,500
Sometimes added after IVF or with bleeding
Specialist consultation
Rs 800 to Rs 1,500
Reviewing serial results
Luteal phase support medication
Rs 8,000 to Rs 25,000
After IVF or with low progesterone
Medical treatment of ectopic pregnancy (methotrexate)
Rs 30,000 to Rs 75,000
Selected stable ectopic pregnancies
Laparoscopic surgery for ectopic pregnancy
Rs 75,000 to Rs 2,35,000
Larger or ruptured ectopic pregnancy
Frozen embryo transfer cycle
Rs 35,000 to Rs 60,000
Next IVF attempt after a negative result
Suction evacuation for molar pregnancy or incomplete miscarriage
Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 65,000
Molar pregnancy or retained tissue
Urine pregnancy test (repeat after a falling hCG)
Rs. 600 to Rs. 1300
Checking that hCG has cleared
Anti-D injection (Rh-negative blood)
Rs. 2200 to Rs. 5600
After miscarriage or ectopic treatment when advised
Tissue testing (histopathology) for suspected molar pregnancy
Rs. 2500 to Rs.7500
Confirming a molar pregnancy
When should you see a doctor about your hCG levels?
See a doctor the same day if a slow or falling hCG comes with pain or bleeding. Book a routine review if your numbers are borderline, but you feel well.
Table 6. hCG results and symptoms that need a doctor
Use this as a quick triage guide. It does not replace advice from your own doctor.
Situation
How soon
Severe or one-sided tummy pain, shoulder tip pain, fainting, or heavy bleeding
Emergency care now, whatever the hCG
hCG rising less than expected, or flat, over 48 hours
Within 24 hours
hCG falling with light bleeding
Urine pregnancy test 14 days later; sooner if pain or heavy bleeding
Positive hCG after IVF with a borderline first value
On the repeat test day your clinic sets
hCG above 1,500 but nothing seen in the womb on scan
Within 24 hours, ectopic not yet ruled out
If you are trying to conceive after a loss, or your results keep falling short, our fertility specialists can review your reports with you. Book a consultation with Cloudnine Fertility.
What hCG can and cannot tell you
hCG confirms that pregnancy tissue is present and shows whether it is growing. It cannot show where the pregnancy is, whether the baby is healthy, or the baby's sex. NICE is clear that hCG should not be used to decide the location of a pregnancy.
Table 7. What a beta hCG result can and cannot answer
Read your report with this in mind: hCG answers some questions well and others not at all, which is why scans and repeat tests are part of every plan.
Question
Can hCG answer it?
Am I pregnant?
Yes, above 25 mIU/mL in most labs
Is the pregnancy growing?
Yes, using two tests 48 hours apart
Is it in the womb?
No, only a scan can show this
Is there a heartbeat?
No, only a scan can show this
Are there twins?
Sometimes suggested; only a scan confirms
Is it a boy or a girl?
No, and sex determination is illegal in India
FAQs
Your questions, clearly answered
Find clear, trusted answers to the most common questions about IVF—designed to guide and support you every step of the way.
What is a good hCG level at 4 weeks?
A good hCG level at 4 weeks is anything between about 5 and 426 mIU/mL, the usual range one month after your last period. A level at the higher end is normal too. What matters most is that the number rises by roughly half over the next 48 hours, followed by a scan around 6 to 7 weeks.
Which week is hCG highest in pregnancy?
hCG is usually highest between 9 and 12 weeks of pregnancy, peaking at about 10 weeks from your last period. After that, it falls gradually and settles at a lower level for the rest of the pregnancy. Falling hCG in the second trimester is therefore normal, not a warning sign, when scans look healthy.
What does low hCG in early pregnancy mean?
Low hCG in early pregnancy most often means you are earlier than your dates suggest, especially if you ovulate late. It can also signal an ectopic pregnancy or a miscarriage. One low value cannot tell these apart. Your doctor will repeat the test after 48 hours and arrange a vaginal scan before deciding anything.
Do high hCG levels mean twins?
High hCG levels can suggest twins, but they cannot confirm them. Twin pregnancies tend to produce higher hCG on average, yet the ranges for one baby and two babies overlap widely. Earlier ovulation or, rarely, a molar pregnancy can also raise levels. Only an ultrasound scan at around 6 to 7 weeks can confirm twins.
Is beta hCG higher in a boy or a girl?
Beta hCG cannot tell you whether you are carrying a boy or a girl. Research has hinted at small average differences, nothing more. In India, sex determination of a fetus by any method is prohibited under the PCPNDT Act, 1994, and clinics will not offer it.
How long does hCG take to go back to zero after a miscarriage?
hCG usually takes a few weeks to fall below 5 mIU/mL after a miscarriage, and longer if the pregnancy was further along. NICE suggests a urine pregnancy test about 14 days after the second blood test when levels are falling. A positive result at that point needs a check within 24 hours.
Can I increase my hCG levels naturally?
You cannot raise your hCG levels with food, supplements, or rest. hCG is made by the developing pregnancy tissue, so its level reflects how that tissue is growing. Folic acid, iron, and a balanced diet support pregnancy health, but they do not change hCG. If your levels are low, the next step is to repeat the test and get a scan.
When should I take a beta hCG test after IVF?
Take your beta hCG test on the exact day your IVF clinic sets, usually about 9 days after a Day 5 blastocyst transfer or around 14 days after a Day 3 transfer. Testing earlier risks picking up the trigger injection and giving false hope or false worry. A second test 48 hours later shows whether levels are rising well.
