Monday, July 10, 2006

Chemical Pregnancy

My period was late. I'm usually regular. I felt bloated and a little bit nausea on and off, pregnancy symtoms I recognise from before. We did a home pregnancy test. The positive results line was so faint, we had to squint our eyes to see it. We were hopeful but worried.

We tested again a few days later with the same very, very faint positive result. So faint we doubted the results. Thoughts of "What is happening?" "Am I pregnant?" swirled around in my head. I felt pregnant but by now (as was the case for the previous two times I was pregnant) we would have had a strong positive result. Why was my hcg levels so low it could not be picked up by the pregnancy test kit? What could this mean? I felt right with all the right familiar pregnancy symtoms I remembered but the results show something else. We were still a bit hopeful but more and more worried.

I searched the internet and read up about low hcg levels. It could probably mean an impending miscarriage, a blighted ovum or an ectopic pregnancy, none of which sounded very promising. We began to feel more worried and a bit scared especially when I had very slight spotting in the evening. We decided to see the doctor soon.

However, even before we got to the doctor, the next day, at about 8-10th day after my period was due, I began to have my period. I know from my own body signals that this was not merely a late period. I probably was pregnant but must be experiencing an early miscarriage. I would probably have been about 5 - 6 weeks pregnant. I read that this is called a chemical pregnancy and that it is quite common and many pregnancies end this way even before a woman is aware that she was pregnant. Our fears were confirmed and now they were turned into feelings of resignation and sadness.


Miscarriage Before You Know It


A chemical pregnancy refers to pregnancy loss very early on. In a chemical pregnancy, it is thought that an egg is fertilized but fails to implant. As a result, your body does not begin to produce the obvious signs of pregnancy. Because a chemical pregnancy occurs so early in a pregnancy, most women never even realize they are pregnant. When they receive their period, they just assume they were a few days late.

Women who have been pregnant before, though, may notice that they "feel pregnant" prior to starting their period. Additionally, performing a pregnancy test, either at home or at your doctor’s office, will likely produce an initial positive result. However, this will quickly become a negative as your period approaches and you miscarry.

Read more about chemical pregnancy and early miscarriage here.

What a roller coaster week of emotions (and fluctuating hormones) it has been, full of anxiety and anxiousness and fear from not knowing what was happening. Alas, it is not meant to be this time. I just had to write this for closure. This post is private and belongs to my personal blog but somehow I like it here since this blog is new and has less readers.

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20 comments:

  1. My second child test, the line didn't appear when I test it. I didn't throw the kit and left it there. After a few days, the line was showing. Hrmmm...tricky, but I was pregnant.

    I always have the fear of miscarriage but thank God it didn't happen to me. I prolly donno how to handle it.

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  2. Sorry to hear that. I know some people try hard to conceive. To think back now, felt really guilty and ashame of the 2 abortions I had earlier.

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  3. Sorry to hear about that. Rest more, ok?

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  4. i too had a miscarriage earlier on in Feb... I was 7 weeks then, foetus stopped growing n my hcg levels started to drop... we were devastated, but i think it was a blessing in disguise as I had juz given birth, n my daughter was only 4 mths old then.

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  5. hugs... hope u r recovering well.

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  6. New term i learnt today, thanks!
    Take care ya!

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  7. Sorry to hear that MG. Do rest more.

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  8. michelle,
    I suppose its easier to handle the earlier on it happens before you start thinking more and more, planning and bonding with the unborn baby.

    anon,
    Probably you had your reasons then. In life, never look back in regret. Just look forward and learn from your experiences.

    shoppingmum,
    I'm ok now. Thanks.

    mommytomeia,
    I'm sorry to hear about your miscarriage in Feb. I guess its just nature's natural selection process.

    jesslyn,
    Yah, I've never heard of the term too before this.

    vien,
    Thank you, I'll try.

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  9. Sorry to hear this, mg. Keep well.

    This is a new term to me. For all I know I could've experienced this before without knowing it then.

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  10. Sorry to hear that. But this is really common, my gynae calls it 'false positive'.

    I had it before Ian. I was attached to my previous employer. Work was too stressful to even conceive. I worked till 2am almost every day, and my ex-boss even has the gut to ask me why I still dont' want to have a baby.

    Right after the 'chemical pregancy', I decided to look for other job. And 3 months after taking up my current job, I was blessed with Ian. :)

    So, don't feel too bad, okay? It just means that the zigot is not healthy enough to survive. Better happen now than later. Think positively like this, okay? :)

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  11. suzette,
    Thank you for the kind encouraging words.

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  12. Thanks for your story I just experience the same thing this week. I was late for my cycle, so I took 2 pregnancy test both positive, when I had turn 5 weeks started a heavy period went to the doctor the same day took another test and it was negative.I was told I had a chemical pregnancy. I was so heart broken this will make
    my 3rd mc,and one healthy baby girl
    who is 17 months(what a blessing) Don't give up. Everything happen for a reason,God has another plan. GOD BLESS YOU AND I WILL KEEP YOU IN MY PRAYERS

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  13. The same thing happened to me this week as well. 14 days after ovulation and 3 days after my period was due, I took a home pregnancy test and tested positive. My husband and I started rejoicing about our first baby on the way. The next day I took another home pregnancy test, and the line was weaker but still positive. The day after that we went to see the doctor, and he took a urine test - it tested negative. That was yesterday. So very disappointing. My period is now 6 days late and still hasn't started, but I think it must be on the way...looks like my pregnancy is over (it there ever was one).

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  14. Anon,
    I'm sorry to hear about your loss too. Take care.

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  15. Hello, This is years later it's May 8th,2008. In April I found out I finally was going to be a Grand Mother. Now today I hear it may be
    just what you wrote about. A Chemical
    Pregancy. Thank you for writing about this. It has ment so much for me to read this. I've never heard of it. Now I can support my Son and my Dear
    Sweetpea (her name)when she has to explain it to me. That I can make it easier for her. Thank you so much.

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  16. Hello Lynn,

    I am sorry to hear of your daughter in law's loss. For me, perhaps I would not have realised it had I not been trying for a 3rd kid and watching out for the signs and testing. I am unable to try for a 3rd kid now for health reasons. I am thankful and feel blessed for my 2 children but still a little sad from the loss.

    I am glad that this post was useful to you.

    Take care and Happy Mother's Day to you.

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  17. Just stumbled onto this blog after experiencing the same thing. Thanks for posting. I am disappointed bc this was my first pregnancy, and we had been TTC for 7 months. Faint positive 16 dpo, had extreme breast tenderness, just felt pregnant. Then the next day line is no longer visible, breast tenderness is going away, and I am expecting my period anyday.

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  18. MG, you plan to have #3?
    Continue to pray and eat well yeah. I m sure God will bless you with another.

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  19. Oh No, this post is in 2006. Its 2011 now and I've long given up my "plan" for #3.

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  20. Do you need D&C in such case? My mother is worried sick about me because i am going through the same problem and she thinks i need one. however, i feel its already out of my system. Kindly advise.

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