Quick answer
The Beta hCG Blood Pregnancy Test costs ₹1,200 at Live Line Health Care. Measures the exact level of pregnancy hormone in blood. No fasting is needed. It uses a blood sample and the report is usually ready the same day. Book home sample collection or visit any of our 45 centres.
Also known as: Beta hCG, Serum Beta hCG, Quantitative hCG, Blood Pregnancy Test, Serum hCG, B-hCG, Total Beta hCG, Pregnancy Hormone Test
What is the Beta hCG Test?
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is the hormone made by the developing placenta soon after a fertilised egg implants in the uterus. The beta hCG blood test measures its exact amount, giving a number rather than a simple yes or no. It can pick up a pregnancy from about 10 to 12 days after conception, often a few days before a missed period and before a home urine kit turns positive.
The number on one report says less than how it changes. In a healthy early pregnancy, beta hCG usually rises by at least about half and often doubles every 48 to 72 hours during the first weeks, so doctors often ask for two samples two days apart. A slow rise, a plateau or a fall can point to a pregnancy that is not progressing or one outside the uterus, and the doctor will combine the numbers with an ultrasound. The test is also used after a miscarriage or certain treatments to confirm that hCG has returned to zero.
What it measures: The quantity of hCG in serum, reported in mIU/mL (the same number as IU/L).
Parameters included (1)
- Serum Beta hCG (quantitative)
Why is this test done?
- Confirming pregnancy early, or when a urine test is unclear
- Checking whether an early pregnancy is progressing, with two samples 48 hours apart
- Helping to assess a possible pregnancy outside the uterus (ectopic pregnancy), together with a scan
- Testing after IVF or IUI on the date set by the fertility clinic
- Following hCG down to zero after a miscarriage or treatment of a molar pregnancy
When should you get tested?
- A missed or late period, or a light, unusual period
- A faint or confusing line on a home pregnancy test
- Spotting or mild cramping in early pregnancy, as advised by your doctor
- Your fertility clinic has given you a blood test date after embryo transfer or IUI
- Severe one-sided pain, shoulder-tip pain, fainting or heavy bleeding need emergency care straight away, not a booked test
How to prepare for the Beta hCG Test
- 1No fasting is needed, and the test can be done at any time of day.
- 2Note the first day of your last period, or the date of embryo transfer or IUI, and share it with the staff. Doctors read the number against this date.
- 3If you have had an hCG trigger injection in fertility treatment, tell your doctor. It can show up in the blood for up to about 10 to 14 days.
- 4If your doctor asks for a repeat, give the second sample 48 hours after the first and at the same centre where possible, so the two results are directly comparable.
Beta hCG Test normal range
| Parameter | Typical reference range |
|---|---|
| Not pregnant | Below 5 mIU/mL |
| Borderline | 5–25 mIU/mL; repeat in 48 hours |
| Pregnancy, 3 to 4 weeks from last period | About 5–426 mIU/mL |
| Pregnancy, 5 weeks | About 18–7,340 mIU/mL |
| Pregnancy, 6 weeks | About 1,080–56,500 mIU/mL |
| Pregnancy, 7 to 12 weeks | About 7,650–288,000 mIU/mL; peaks around 8 to 11 weeks |
Weeks are counted from the first day of the last period. The ranges are very wide, so a single value says little about how a pregnancy is going. Ranges are typical adult values and vary between labs, age and sex. Always use the range printed on your report and discuss results with your doctor.
Understanding your results
- A result below 5 mIU/mL means pregnancy is unlikely at the time of the test. If your period still does not come, repeat the test after a few days.
- A result between 5 and 25 mIU/mL is borderline. It may be a very early pregnancy, so doctors repeat it after 48 hours to see whether it rises.
- In the first weeks, a rise of at least about 50 percent every 48 hours is reassuring. Slower rises, plateaus or falls need review with an ultrasound, but they are not a diagnosis on their own.
- Once beta hCG is above roughly 1,500 to 3,500 mIU/mL, a pregnancy sac is usually visible on a transvaginal scan. If it is not seen, your doctor will look carefully for an ectopic pregnancy.
- hCG can be raised outside pregnancy, for example after a recent pregnancy loss, after an hCG injection, or rarely with some tumours. Your doctor will explain any unexpected result.
Book the Beta hCG Test in your city
Same price at all 45 centres. Choose your city for local centres and timings.
Telangana
Beta hCG Test – FAQs
What is the price of the Beta hCG Test?
The Beta hCG Blood Pregnancy Test costs ₹1,200 at Live Line Health Care, at all 45 centres and for home sample collection.
How soon can a beta hCG blood test detect pregnancy?
It can usually detect pregnancy about 10 to 12 days after conception, and sometimes a little earlier. That is often a few days before a missed period. If the result is negative but your period does not come, repeat it after 3 to 4 days, as hCG may still have been very low.
What is the doubling time of beta hCG?
In early pregnancy, hCG often doubles every 48 to 72 hours, and a rise of at least about 50 percent over 48 hours is generally reassuring. The rise slows after about 6 to 7 weeks. Some healthy pregnancies rise more slowly, so doctors also rely on the scan.
Is the blood test better than a urine pregnancy test?
The blood test detects lower levels of hCG and gives an exact number, so it can confirm pregnancy earlier and show whether hCG is rising. A urine test is quicker and cheaper and is fine for most people once a period is missed. Your doctor chooses based on your situation.
Can beta hCG show twins?
Twin pregnancies often have higher hCG levels, but the overlap with single pregnancies is large. A high number cannot confirm twins, and a normal number does not rule them out. Only an ultrasound scan can show how many babies there are.
Why is beta hCG tested after a miscarriage?
After a pregnancy loss, hCG should fall steadily to below 5 mIU/mL. Checking this confirms that no pregnancy tissue remains and, after a molar pregnancy, that no abnormal tissue is growing. Your doctor will set the schedule, which may be weekly until the level is normal.
What does a positive beta hCG with no sac on the scan mean?
It may simply be too early to see the sac, which is why the hCG level and repeat scans matter. It can also suggest an ectopic pregnancy or an early loss. Severe pain, shoulder-tip pain, dizziness or heavy bleeding need emergency care at once.
Where can I get the Beta hCG Test done?
At any of our 45 Live Line Health Care centres in 40 cities across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, including Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Warangal, Kakinada and Nellore, or book home sample collection.
Medical disclaimer: This information is for general awareness only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor to interpret your results and before starting or changing any treatment.