Trying To Stay Poisitve And Not Worry!

[BTMshop73]

I'm on pregnancy number 4 with two live births and 1 blighted ovum in between the two.  My first pregnancy was 100% perfect with no problems at all.  After that I got on the depo shot for 2 years.  I attempted to get pregnant for the next 2 years.  Once we finally got pregnant I started spotting at 6 weeks.  I couldn't get into the doctor until I was 10 weeks, so I went to the ER.  That doctor told me everything looked normal and that he could see a heart beat.  Once I got to see my doctor they couldn't find anything on a U/S and my progesterone levels were really low.  He also confirmed that the ER doctor couldn't have saw a heartbeat because there was not even a baby in my sac.  My third pregnancy started off with low progesterone so I took 1 baby asprin along with 200mg of prometrium once a day.  I went to term and had a very healthy boy.  Now I'm pregnant again 2 years later and my progesterone was 12 which my doctor considered low for being 4 weeks.  My HCG was 263 so they did a follow up test a week later.  My progesterone rose to 17.6(taking 200 mg prometrium again) and my HCG rose to 1862. I go back this Tuesday for another blood test.

I have looked and looked to find a chart with the normal HCG and progesterone levels only to find most charts have different numbers.  I am worried something will go wrong again and that is the hardest part to get over.  Do my levels seem to be in a good range?  What are the chances I'll have another miscarriage?  I'm waiting for my insurance to kick in so I can actually see the doctor and I'm hoping he will do a U/S once my levels reach above 2000.  If everything looks good on the U/S and there is a heartbeat how much does the risk of miscarriage drop?

Sorry this is so long!  I'm just trying to find out if everything looks okay.  It would be so easy if I could actually talk to my doctor.  Thank you for taking your time to read this!

[JoyRenee]

The point is that your HCG needs to double (or more) within 48-72 hours. That is why you're getting HCG charts with varying levels because all women will have different levels. Here is the most comprehensive chart I've seen:



hCG levels in weeks from LMP (gestational age)* :

    * 3 weeks LMP: 5 - 50 mIU/ml
    * 4 weeks LMP: 5 - 426 mIU/ml
    * 5 weeks LMP: 18 - 7,340 mIU/ml
    * 6 weeks LMP: 1,080 - 56,500 mIU/ml
    * 7 - 8 weeks LMP: 7,650 - 229,000 mIU/ml
    * 9 - 12 weeks LMP: 25,700 - 288,000 mIU/ml
    * 13 - 16 weeks LMP: 13,300 - 254,000 mIU/ml
    * 17 - 24 weeks LMP: 4,060 - 165,400 mIU/ml
    * 25 - 40 weeks LMP: 3,640 - 117,000 mIU/ml
    * Non-pregnant females: <5.0 mIU/ml
    * Postmenopausal: <9.5 mIU/ml

Progesterone should be above 20. I would ask about doubling the progesterone supplements. Progesterone supplementation will not work in the event that it is a blighted ovum. But if your little one is healthy the progesterone will definitely help sustain the uterine enviornment.

Why are they not testing your HCG/progesterone every other day? That is the norm. Your levels are probably over 2000 now and a sonogram would be the way to go to see that heartbeat!

[JoyRenee]

Based on that chart you should be 5-6 weeks. I'd definitely wait until you're 7-8 weeks to get a sonogram (and it should be a vaginal one as the abdominal one can't pick up the tiny details in a tiny embryo this early on).

[BTMshop73]

I was 5 weeks 2 days for the second test and 4 weeks 2 days for the first.  I haven't figured out why they make me wait a full week.  It seems like it would be better results if it was every 72 hours if not 48 hours.  Do you think my 200 MG prometrium could help raise my progesterone above 20 this next test?  I was only on it for 5 days when I tested the second time.

[JoyRenee]

When I took progesterone supplements I took 2 a day (so 400 mg) and mine shot up to around 60-70 within a couple days. It is possible that yours will have risen but it's hard to know for sure. That's why I thought you should ask if you could increase the dosage, just to be safe.

[BTMshop73]

Hmm I will have to ask them about that next time they call.  I'm sure it will probably be around my next lab test.  I thought I took 2 pills with my last pregnancy, and my levels stayed up really high.  Maybe they can check my file to see that I took more last time.  Thank you for all your information and advice!  It really helps when I start worrying!

[JoyRenee]

Well I definitely know how scary and unsure this time can be. I wouldn't wait for them to call. I'd call today and ask to speak with the nurse about it. Please let us know how things progress!