HCG doubling at first

[Nardia]

I have had an ectopic pregnancy and 7 previous miscarriages around 6 weeks. LMP 04/12 and confirmed pregnancy on 05/14. Had HCG test on 05/18 and HCG was 1340. On 05/20 HCG was 3040 which was good. 5 days later 05/25 HCG only rose to 6140. I was given a poor prognosis but trans vag u/s scan showed yolk sac but no heart beat. I should be 6 weeks but scan suggested I was slightly less, I have another scan booked for one weeks time. With HCG's only slowly rising but no other signs (no pain, bleeding etc) what is the likelihood of this pregnancy being viable?

[Niki73]

You have had 7 miscarriages in the past all around 6 weeks? Have they done any testing on you???? That is a lot to go through? Do you know if any of the pregnancies had a fetal pole (heart beat)?I think it's good that there is a yolk in the sac because my doctor said numerous miscarriages without a yolk in the sac or fetal pole at some point was a lot the times a sign of chromosome issues...The reason I ask you is because I miscarried 3 times all under 12 weeks and after testing they found out that my body doesn't produce enough progesterone to support a pregnancy....so with my last pregnancy and now this one I get progesterone injections and they help support my pregnancy up unil 13 weeks and then the doctor said the placenta takes over. I am on my second pregnancy so it did work for me....but my thought was maybe you have the same problem???? On one of my miscarriages I had a sac but no yolk....then with the other two their was fetal poles but they both died before 12 weeks...Again they check my HCG level every two days too...and yes once the level wasn't doubling they would tell me it looks like a miscarriage it is so hard...but once they started the progesterone with the my last pregnancy and so far this one it has worked...I didn't have any cramps or bleeding with the miscarriage that had only a sac but with the others yes I had terrible cramping and then light bleeding that turned into dark with clots. I would wait another week sometimes the heart beat takes 7 weeks instead of 6....The only thing that worries me is your HCG level not doubling do you think he could check your progesterone level and maybe the injections would help???? Do you have any morning sickness or headaches or tiredness? Did you with any of your pregnancies? I remember with my miscarriages I never even knew I was pregnant until I missed my period - never felt sick or anything it wasn't even like I was pregnant. But once I had the hormone injections with my daughter I was sick the whole 3 months and then with this pregnancy I thought I was pregnant 1 week after conception - I was exhausted, head aches, nausea and sore boobs....I never felt like that before so of course he has started the injections right away again...I'm always fearful of a miscarriage we will see....good luck and let me know if your doctor has done any testing for you...you have been through so much with out the doctor trying to find out what may be causing your miscarriages....I will be praying for you...

[Nardia]

Thanks for the reply. I have had exhaustive tests but they have never found anything abnormal. I take 75mg Aspirin daily and with this pregnancy have injected Heparin daily just as a precaution. Dr's in the UK do not support the use of Progesterone although I have asked for it because they say low progesterone is a sign of a failing pregnancy rather than a cause (although your story would not seem to fit with that). I always know immediately I am pregnant because I get very sore boobs and this time I felt very tired but I have never seen a fetal heart beat or pole with any pregnancy. I think I know deep down that this one is probably not ok either I just don't want to believe it!

[Niki73]

So your pregnancies start out really good- you have all the signs of being pregnant and then at some point something causes you to lose the baby...I wish your doctor would try the progesterone just one time even though he doesn't support it just to see if it would work. So they did test yours and the father's chromosomes and they came back with everything looking normal right? I am so sorry this has to be so hard on you. Think positive this may be the pregnancy that works...There has to be something that happens at 6 weeks that's why your not seeing a fetal pole or heart beat it happens right before that developes...I hope someone see's this comment of yours and has heard of something that could help....try to stay positive and please keep my updated on your progress...My doctor told me no matter how many pregnancies I had if I didn't recieve the progesterone injections right away I would miscarry each one because my body does not produce enough on it's own to support a pregnancy....Do we know that your body produces enough???? I know every doctor is different and it gets confusing at times and that is just what my doctor told me....

[Christina S.]

Here is something I  found talking about HCG levels...

http://www.mommyguide.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=67&topic=19


You can put in your numbers at 2 different dates and it will tell you the time it is doubling.

[wenders]

Thank you for sharing your story about progesterone. When you said you finally learned that your body wasn't producing enough to sustain a pregnancy, do you recall what the early readings were? Also, did they start giving you the progesterone only after you knew you were pregnant, or right after ovulation?

[Niki73]

The doctor didn't start looking at my HCG levels until my third pregnancy that ended in a miscarriage. He just told me they weren't doubling every few days they were going up but not very much. So again I miscarried that pregnancy. So I was told the second I found out I was pregnant to call the doctor and we will do blood work and u/s sound right away and if the HCG levels are doubling at that point and I can see a little something in the u/s we will start progesterone that day. So I missed my period which would but me about 4 weeks along and when they checked my HCG levels they were doubling like they were suppose too and he could see a very small sac....so we started the progesterone that day and I had 500mg twice a week with blood test on those days to make sure the HCG level was still rising and then when I was 6 1/2 weeks we did another ultra sound and there was a heart beat!!!! So I continued the progesterone until 13 weeks and that is when I had my daughter!!!! The doctor said because all of my miscarragies were under 10 weeks and because the last one he could see the HCG levels dropping and the fact that I had done other testing such has chromosomes and lupus and a few other ones that it ruled out anything else so he wanted to try the progesterone. I am almost 6 weeks along with this pregnancy and for the first time I had symptons right away I use to laugh when people would say they know when conception took place but I did this time! So at 3 weeks I went in for blood work to check my HCG levels and they looked good again so we start the progesterone that day again...I have been on the shots for 3 weeks now and tomorrow I go in for an u/s to hopefully see a heart beat!!!!! I am so scared though just because of the past...The doctor said he won't give the progesterine shots until he knows it is a viable pregnancy meaning your HCG levels are good or he sees a heart beat, fetal pole signs that the pregnancy is viable other wise the progesterone will cause you to carry the fetus longer even though you should have miscarried...Does that make sense...The progesterone helps your body support the pregnancy but in the event that you are miscarry it will hold onto the fetus and not expell it right away...sometimes requiring a d&c. I hope this was helpful.

[wenders]

Thanks for that info. I wasn't sure if the idea that progesterone would keep a non-viable pregnancy going was true, but it makes sense. I'd hope that as soon as the hcg levels were dropping, that would be the indication it was time to stop the progesterone, right? I mean, I don't think the progesterone would affect the hcg levels at all, but maybe i'm wrong. I'd hate to think that using it could make me more likely to have a d&c than not. EAch doctor is so different. Mine put me on progesterone as soon as the test showed positive. best of luck with all. fingers crossed. :o)

[Niki73]

You are exactly right if the pregnancy was to turn out non-viable he would stop the progesterone. The progesterone only helps the pregnancy if it is a viable one...for example if you have a sac but no yolk developed he wouldn't continue the progesterone because it won't help the yolk form it just helps support what is already going on...Even with chromosome fuzzing issues if the chromosomes don't fuse together correctly it wouldn't matter how much progesterone we had it's not going to fix the chromsome problem. This is the way I understood it if the pregnancy turns out to be non-viable it sometimes takes our body longer to expell the fetus because the progesterone is supporting the fetus still....so it may take a little longer before you start to cramp,bleed and then pass the fetus it which case some women would rather have the d & C then wait out the natural misscarriage either way the pregnancy will end in miscarriage it just takes the body a little longer to react is how I took it...that's why they don't want to keep giving it to us when the pregnancy isn't a viable one. No I'm with you I don't think using the progesterone has anything to do with the HCG levels...if the HCG levels are dropping that means somthing isn't right with the pregnancy...By having good HCG levels it is telling us the pregnancy looks to be going good up to that point...It sure is nice to have people to talk too because 3 years ago I was so lost in not understanding miscarriages and not realizing how many people go through this sad ordeal. You feel like you are the only one nobody talks about it....thanks, Niki

[wenders]

Unfortunately, even though the levels were rising at first, it's not going to work out this time. i'll stop taking the progesterone now, and hopefully will naturally bleed it out. the doctor seems to think a d&c won't be necessary since the levels never got higher than 200, but I guess we'll have to wait and see. This is the second time the same chain of events have happened, it's hard not to get discouraged. I agree that it's really helpful to read other people's experiences here.
Best wishes to all.

[Niki73]

I am so sorry. Is this your first pregnancy? I'm thinking maybe not because they did start you on progesterone? How far along were you and was there a fetal pole? Sorry about all the questions I understand if you don't want to talk about it. I just remember by my third miscarriage I was pretty upset and I will never forget the doctor I had at the time telling me he didn't think I was going to be able to have children! I was a wreck 2 minutes after he tells me I'm going to miscarry he throws that out there. But with all three of my pregnancies they were different which my doctor now said was a very good sign...meaning one time there was a heart beat, one time there was no heart beat but a fetal pole and the other time there was a sac but no yolk developed...I just want you to know that it will work out just not this time...if you want to talk or have any questions please ask I know when I was going through it I felt so alone....

[Nardia]

HCG went down from 6100 to about 5100 then 2 days later slightly up to 5,600 2 days later slightly up again to 6,600 but we were told this was all bad news because it obviously was not doubling. Had a scan and there was a normal 6 weeks embryo with a very strong heart beat that had grown normally in the week despite all the abnormal hormone results!! All the medical staff are very confused but are now talking very positively so this one may be ok!!!!

[wenders]

I hope Nardia, that you are continuing to get good news. Thanks, Niki, for the kind words. This is the second time the same scenario has played out. It never gets far enough to show anything on an u/s, basically I just get a really long and clotty period (sorry about the graphic-ness!) right around the time that it's normally due. I've heard people call it a "chemical pregnancy," but I'm not sure of the difference between that and an early miscarriage. I guess with a CP they're saying it didn't even really implant. I'm switching doctors, and i imagine clomid is in my near future. Have you guys tried that yet?

[chardie]

Hi,
   I just found out that I am expecting my first child. I'm six to seven weeks pregnant.About four days ago I started bleeding. I went to my doctor who sent me to the hospital where I underwent an internal examination and a blood test to check my HCG levels. I had my reults today for the 12th June which were 494 and the 14th June which was 474. The internal examination showed that the neck of my womb was still closed, which the doctor said was a good sign. I'm waiting for todays blood test results. I'm booked in for a scan tomorrow which should show if I have lost the baby. I just wanted to know if there was the slightest chance that I might NOT have lost the baby and the bleeding was sort of like a period. It was pinkish in colour. I am quite frightened as this is my first, so if anone could give me some advice I would be gratefull.
                       Thank You,
                         Chardiexx