What Are the Causes of Elevated HCG?

The hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is most commonly associated with pregnancy, but there are some other reasons why tests might show elevated hCG levels.

Testing

• Testing for hCG levels is done through either urine or blood tests. Urine tests, such as home pregnancy tests, show only if hCG is present but do not measure exact levels of hCG. Blood tests are needed to determine exact hCG levels.

Pregnancy

• HCG present in your system could mean you are pregnant.

  During pregnancy, hCG is produced by the placenta. The levels of hCG in a pregnant woman should double every two to three days following conception. Unusually high hCG levels during pregnancy can indicate the presence of multiple fetuses.

GTD

• Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a group of tumors, including molar pregnancy, that develop in the uterus due to a placental abnormality. GTD is marked by high levels of hCG.

Birth Defects

• HCG testing is used in conjunction with other tests to screen for birth defects, as high hCG levels may indicate a fetus with Down syndrome.

Tumors

• Cancerous and noncancerous germ cell tumors, such as ovarian and testicular cancers, are accompanied by high hCG levels. Other forms of cancer can also cause high hCG.