What is the typical range for serum HCG levels in early pregnancy?

• A. 2,000 to 20,000 IU/L
• B. 1,000,000 IU/L
• C. 5,000 to 50,000 IU/L
• D. 20,000 to 200,000 IU/L

Answer: (D)

In early pregnancy, hCG rises rapidly as placental tissue forms, serving to support the corpus luteum and sustain the pregnancy. Over the first weeks, levels climb from lower values to increasingly higher ones, with a broad typical range as the pregnancy progresses through the early weeks.

The range 20,000 to 200,000 IU/L best captures this broad early-to-mid first-trimester rise. It reflects that hCG can start relatively high soon after implantation and continue climbing to substantially higher values as gestation advances. The other options either fall below what is commonly seen in early pregnancy or lie outside the typical span for this period.

Remember, hCG increases quickly (often doubling every 48–72 hours) and individual values vary with gestational age, but the chosen range aligns with the general pattern observed in early pregnancy.