When you take a pregnancy test, that test is measuring the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin, more commonly called hCG, in your urine or your blood. Women trying to get pregnant also inject this hormone as a part of infertility treatment. Always use hCG under a doctor's supervision and after you are evaluated to ensure that it won't worsen an existing medical conditions. HCG can cause several symptoms.
Morning Sickness
The classic pregnancy symptom, morning sickness, may be related to your hCG hormone level, notes Margie Profet, author of "Pregnancy Sickness." Your level of hCG rises when your morning sickness starts and falls when your sickness ends. Typically, the placenta produces hCG when your embryo implants and your hCG level rises until about week eight. Your hCG level falls most rapidly after week 10 and stays low from week 14 to the end of your pregnancy. Whether hCG plays a direct or indirect role in morning sickness due to its stimulation of estradiol and progesterone is still under debate.
Hyperthyroidism
Increased levels of hCG in your body can lead to hyperthyroidism, according to "Pediatric Endocrinology," by Fima Lifshitz. When your thyroid becomes overactive, you may experience fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irregular menstrual periods, weight loss, increased sweating, have an inability to tolerate heat or have an increased appetite, according to the National Institutes of Health. Nausea and vomiting, clammy skin, an irregular or pounding pulse, itching all over, high blood pressure, hair loss and skin flushing are other possible symptoms. hCG-related hyperthyroidism is rare, Lifshitz notes.
Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
If you are a woman who is using hCG injections to treat infertility, your injection can cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition, according to Drugs.com. Symptoms include swollen hands or legs, severe pelvic pain, weight gain, shortness of breath, vomiting or nausea and less frequent urination. Those affected should call a doctor immediately if any of these symptoms occur.
