Last June, I stood in this precise spot with my sister, and we managed to absorb in the days following the first test that the transfer and implantation had not been successful. I could not have processed that disappointment without her support. We both soldiered on, and so here we are again. Like my sister, I have to prepare myself for disappointment again. I also have to prepare myself for good news, I may finally achieve what I have desired so strongly since I was in my early twenties, to be a father. If we get a positive result, a tiny baby will be in my arms next summer. Do I dare to imagine that? Yes! Do I prepare myself for another disappoitnment tomorrow, I do that, too. I have tried over the past two weeks not to let my enthusiasm get the better of me. But tomorrow a positive result on the beta hCG test will give us the most accurate information we can have this early on as to the result of this IVF round.
So how does this all work? You know the Early Pregnancy Test always being advertised on TV? That's the one where the woman pees on a stick and the stick changes color to reflect the presence of hCG, a hormone that is produced by the placenta and released into the maternal circulation. Current pregnancy tests are based on measurement of the beta subunit of hCG in urine or serum. While the EPT tests the presence of the hormone a blood test can tell us the level present. If the levels double every 24-48 hours this generally indicates a pregnancy. Very high levels may indicate a multiple pregnancy.
hCG levels normally double every two days over the first 6 weeks of pregnancy, peaking at about 8-10 weeks of gestation. After that, the levels drop rapidly, then remain fairly steady for the rest of gestation. Pregancy tests typically detect increased hCG levels 1-2 weeks after conception. And so here we are, staring at Day Fourteen, and the future.

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