Why Chemical Pregnancy Will Make You Question Everything

Only a few of us heard or know something about a chemical pregnancy. But, as medics say, every third woman experiences it. What is more, it can happen multiple times during your life. So what is it?

What is a Chemical Pregnancy?

In brief, a chemical pregnancy is the kind of pregnancy that doesn’t develop and abort itself. This pregnancy is condemned to failure; it can’t go on despite its good start. The fertilized egg moves towards the uterus and even implants there. But instead of further growth and development, it is rejected by the body and taken out together with blood discharge.

A miscarriage happens approximately two weeks after the conception, in other words – almost right away after the egg implantation. At this point, neither gynecologists nor ultrasonic sound is capable of diagnosing pregnancy because of the tiny size of a future embryo. And this is the major difference between a chemical pregnancy and common pregnancy. Because if the pregnancy is diagnosed “officially”, that is noticed by the doctor and its time period is named, then even if it is aborted spontaneously it will be considered as a miscarriage.

But still, in very rare cases some ultrasensitive pregnancy tests are capable of indicating vague but the second line. It happens due to the temporary increase of the pregnancy chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG). It is synthesized by the embryo.

Chemical Pregnancy HCG Level

If the woman is planning her pregnancy or is treated for infertility and takes blood tests regularly, she will most likely learn about a chemical pregnancy. The special chorionic gonadotropic hormone is synthesized by the chorion or the membrane of the embryo immediately after conception. Its level rises quickly and in one week hCG can be found from blood tests, and in 7-10 more days – in pregnant woman’s urine.

You are pregnant if the blood test indicates the concentration of hCG as 5-6 mIU/ml or higher. But as for the chemical pregnancy, the increased indicators start to lower rapidly – the consequences of a miscarriage. In a few more days neither blood tests nor pregnancy tests will be positive – there is not a trace remaining of the pregnancy and your next periods start.

Chemical Pregnancy Symptoms

As you might already guess, to suspect or even learn about chemical pregnancy can only the woman who expects to get pregnant month after month and tracks the hCG level in any case of even the slightly missed periods. Can the other women recognize the chemical pregnancy symptoms without the test?

Very unlikely. If the woman didn’t even suspect that she was pregnant, she won’t be able to know it. Because the chemical pregnancy is not accompanied by any distinctive features like changes in a mammary gland, increased nipples sensitivity, the increased sense of smell, or changes in appetite, mood, or any other.

If there are reasons to think that you were pregnant, then chemical pregnancy can be thought of in case of:

• Slightly missed periods (after the chemical pregnancy they start later than usual, in a week at its most)
• Unusually painful periods
• Increased amount of blood clots (more than usual) during the periods

But keep in mind that these symptoms can only indirectly indicate that chemical pregnancy took place. Besides, very often these symptoms are absent at all.

Chemical Pregnancy Causes

So, the specialist examined the existence and the nature of the phenomenon, but the main question remains unanswered: why does the chemical pregnancy happen in the first place, or why does the pregnancy even become chemical? What are the reasons for this malfunction?

The factors that change the pregnancy are not set. There is no doubt that scientists think about the dysfunctions in the mother’s body or the egg as a prime cause. And it is likely that if there is any kind of pathology the further embryo development is impossible.

Among the most probable causes of chemical pregnancy:

• Immune and autoimmune diseases making the body reject “alien” cells of the fetal egg
• Hormonal misbalance in the woman’s body, more often – lack of progesterone hormone which is essential to maintain and develop pregnancy properly
• Some blood diseases
• The growth of incompatible with life embryo cells

Further Pregnancy and Planning

Some women may think that chemical pregnancy is a kind of sentence. But don’t dramatize. In most cases, a proper physical pregnancy with a happy ending (the childbirth) can occur right in the next cycle after the chemical pregnancy. There is no need to undergo special treatment or any preparations. And don’t mourn: such an embryo doesn’t stand a chance to survive, and because of it the miscarriage is unavoidable.

However, gynecologists make an accent of the following fact: if the woman experiences chemical pregnancy time after time, we can speak about habitual miscarrying of pregnancy which requires a complete examination of both parents and special treatment.

If you pay attention to that matter and take steps to learn about the chemical pregnancy in time, it all will end well. You have to believe, hope, and not make mistakes.