I don't know if the same units were used in this test as is used here, but
5.4 is quite a low level.  Any level less than 5 is considered negative in
our hospital's lab.  Usually a urine pregnancy test will not show positive
until about 25, so taking a urine pregnancy may not be helpful.  At 3 weeks
postpartum, that low a level could well be just due to the still declining
levels from the past pregnancy.  She'd want to get a repeat, though, as if
it were due to retained products it should stay stable or even rise
slightly.  If it is due to the recent delivery, it will drop to negative.
I took care of a woman in the emergency room once when I was in training who
was 1 week postpartum.  She came for something unrelated to pregancy or the
delivery.  The triage nurse ordered a pregnancy test on her and then scared
her to death by telling her she was pregnant!  She still had adequately high
levels  of HCG to test positive.  In her case, breastfeeding was already
established and going well.
Jennifer Tieman
Family Physician
Mom to 3, and new baby #4 expected 5/31/03

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