fetal heartbeat and decreasing hcg

[melynn]

my first pregnancy ended in a lap for an ectopic in august. i was elated to find i was pregnant again only 2 months later. i am currently 8 weeks pregnant. my hcg levels were fine and we had our first u/s and saw gestational and yolk sacs.  my next beta hcg dropped.  the dr didnt want to do another u/s because he said i was sure to miscarry, but i insisted. that time we saw a fetal pole and a heartbeat.  they passed the hcg off as a lab mistake so i had another the next week, which showed hcg decreasing again.  still, we had another u/s and saw the heartbeat again. they say that the decreasing hcg is not a good sign, but they cant explain why we still have a heartbeat.
my question is, has anyone ever had this happen before, and gone on to deliver a healthy baby? i also wondered if i could have had a vanishing twin to explain hcg drops.  any help would be appreciated.  we have just put it in God's hands and pray every minute to have a healthy baby.

[GNicole]

Do you what the heartbeat is??  Maybe it is a vanishing twin.  Good luck to you!

[melynn]

last visit HB was 113,  which they said was normal for early pregnancy.  i go again later this week to check again, and make sure its increasing.

[GNicole]

Early heartbeats tend to be on the low side.  I hope everything is OK.  Just make sure they keep checking your levels. :)

[melynn]

thanks, they said they would check them each time as protocol. i hope they start to increase again

[GNicole]

I hope your levels increase too-I am hoping for the best for you!  I know how you are feeling, I had a miscarriage before and I know how stressful the waiting can be.  Good luck to you! :)

[melynn]

thanks so much. im sorry for your loss. i wish the best to you also

[GNicole]

I am actually 18 weeks pregnant now but my first pregnancy ended in miscarriage.  Thank you. :)

[jayhawk822]

They did think that I had a blighted ovum (empty sac) b/c my hcg was slowing, then fell slightly (80) around 5k.  But then on the u/s to confirm there was a baby and a heartbeat!  my doc got one more hcg a week later 7600 (thought it should be MUCH MUCH higher based on how it was before and the time elapsed).  Basically he is now resigned to whatever made hcg wierd, who cares!  b/c we have ourselves a baby...still! :)  My doc has quit doing hcg levels and now monitors baby by u/s.  first sono they could see heart beating but not get rate, second we could get rate, but low.  now over 100, but still low (105).  if you go by baby size it isn't as low as by my dates, so doc thinks my dates may be wrong (but i don't-my hcg was 514 at 16dpo-can you imagine that he thinks i am almost 2 weeks off-that would have been an insanely high hcg).  Anyway, hcg can be a fickle thing and I am glad you are getting u/s.  and good for you to insist!  Good luck to you-you are in my prayers!

[ougirl]

My hcg was 1600 at 14dpo and continued to double about every 72-96 hours but then really slowed down. I had an u/s yesterday and dr said he could see what he believed to be a vanishing twin and remaining baby you could see the flicker of a heartbeat. Good, he said for 5 wks 4 days. This was my 3rd round with low hcg levels so expected to m/c like before but the dr said as long as progesterone stays up, don't put too much stock in hcg. He mentioned he had a patient whose hcg kept falling and she still delivered a healthy baby. Do you know your progesterone levels? I started on prometrium very early this time.

[melynn]

thank you all for your information.  yes, they started me on progesterone suppositories about 3 weeks ago.  when it was first tested it was 10 so they started me immediately.  they all felt i would be miscarrying and said the reason i had no cramping and spotting was because of the progesterone.  the hcg is the only thing that makes them feel like somethings wrong.  im just trying really hard not to worry and stay positive.  i have another beta hcg tomorrow (and i really wish they would stop those, but they say its protocol) and then an u/s friday.  keep us in your thoughts and prayers

[ougirl]

Good luck on Friday. One thing I found out was once your hcg levels are upwards of 5000, the time it takes for them to double increases significantly, over 4 days. My last number went from 5600 to 7800 in 3 days but the doctor said had he waited another 3 days it probably would've doubled. My progesterone at 4 wks was 17, 2 days later 28, 3 days later 14 which is when they put me on prometrium. I would've been just under 5 wks when I started it and within 2 days it was back up to 22. I'm glad to hear they gave you the progesterone suppositiories as opposed to taking it orally. I took prometrium orally last time and the side effects are much less severe this way. My next u/s is not until 12/27 (2 wks from today). Might as well be 2 years from now since the wait will seem like forever. I will be 8 wks exactly and we should be able to see a measurable heartbeat. 2 days ago we only saw a flutter since I was only 5 1/2 wks. Are they testing your progesterone also to see if it's come up? Another thing I've learned by reading this forum is how lax some doctors are and how women have to insist on testing. I suppose I am lucky with my doctor but then again I switched b/c my original obgyn wouldn't see me until I was 8 wks and I knew I probably needed to be on prometrium and felt I was high risk due to 2 previous m/c and I'll be 41 in January. Hang in there and be firm with your doctor and don't hesitate to find a new one if necessary. Let us know the results from the tests and u/s.

[melynn]

i will. its comforting to be able to share my experience with others on this forum and they in turn sympathize and offer support.  unless you have experienced these things yourself you could never imagine the pain, stress, and worry someone else is feeling. my husband, family and friends are supportive but they cant fully understand.  pregnancy is such a fragile thing and so many people take it for granted.  thanks so much to everyone on this post. i will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers, as i hope you do the same for me.