Risk of molar pregnancy?

[AZ Angie]

I found out that I am pregnant again for the 3rd time since July.  First 2 pregnancies ended in early miscarriage.  I am 45 next week, and I know the risk for unhappy outcome is very high.  I have done alot of research about my current situation, and, of course, I'm worrying the worry stone thin.  Currently my HCG numbers are climbing very rapidly, and I have molar pregnancy in mind.  I know that the risk for this increases after 40, but there is not much more specific information about how the HCG numbers behave.  Do they skyrocket?  Do they just go up real fast?

Here are my numbers:  18 DPO 68,
                                   20 DPO 263
                                    24 DPO 1991
                                    28 DPO 12,800+

I did not do any fertility treatments, so the chance of multiples is very low (none in either side of the family). I have mild symptoms, but no cramping or bleeding.  I  feel hot most of the time, and have a fluttering feeling in my chest sometimes (hopefullly just anxiety).

Anyone ever experience a molar pregnancy or know anyone who did?
Thanks

[RunningL8]

I think the earliest they try to see a heartbeat is 6 weeks, which is only one day later than your embryo measured.  And I know they consider the size normal if it is within a week of where it's "supposed" to be.  So I think everything looks good for you!  (Is your doctor concerned?)  My thoughts and prayers are with you for a good outcome on the next ultrasound!

[Tricia3]

Forget so called HCG levels. All my pregnancy tests were negative!!!!What's really there and what is detected in tests are two totally different things. My first baby diagnosed as a hormone imbalance, or a molar pregnancy turned out to be a healthy infant girl 8 lbs! Absolutely beautiful, pregnancy medically confirmed by ultrasound at 20 weeks.

[Lastminutemama]

It's positive that you saw a heathbeat! There can be a difference in days because your ovulantion and the moment of implantation can differ some days.
Unfortunately I have to tell you that I had the same: first u/s showed 5w4d and my LMP calculation was 6w2d...you know where this has ended but still there is a good chance that everything will go normal!
I keep my fingers crossed for you.

I'm going to test (if no period on the 10th) a few days later. I do not know exactly when my period is due, this is the first normal cycle after MC and it can be a bit longer than my pre-MC cycles.

[AZ Angie]

Sorry BG, I was hoping for a BFP for you this month! You know, the cycle before I got pregnant, was also short for me at 25 days.  I thought I ovulated early the next cycle, but it looks like it may have been later because it took so long to get the BFP

LMM, when are you going to test?  Sounded like implantation was a couple of days ago for you

I didn't write recently because I was waiting for news, and the Dr. finally called me toinght.  Looks like my Hcg numbers are finally slowing down a bit.  On day 34DPO, it was 42,985, and my progesterone was up to 29.  I also had an ultrasound on the same day, and we did see a fetus that measured 5weeks6days implanted in a good spot, high in the uterus--and it did have a beating heart, although the tech said it was too small to get a curser on it to count a rate.  The want me to come back in 2 weeks for a more difinitive ultrasound.  I am cautiously optimistic, but I still worry...at my age, I know there are so many hurdles.  I don't understand why it measured 5w6d when by my LMP it should be 6w5d?  And if it is that small, then is the Hcg too high? Can you really see a beating heart at 5w6d?

Angie

[RunningL8]

Thanks--I just wrote you back....

[Lastminutemama]

Send you a private message...don't know if that works but i feel so sorry for you xx

[RunningL8]

You are so sweet to "whisper" congratulations to me; unfortunately, I got my period last night.  (This cycle was very odd--only 24 days....)  I do hope we can celebrate your positive soon!

[Lastminutemama]

@ All: happy 2008!!

@BG-MN: Welcome back, hope you enjoyed your trip and keep in mind.....a line is a line....so I just whisper congratulations, hope I can shout it out loud later this week!

@Angie: I ckecked on the internet and found some standards for HCG:

days past conception/ovulation (DPO)  hCG in mIU/mL
in singleton pregnancy
7 days  0 - 5
14 days  3 - 426
21 days  18 - 7,340
28 days  1,080 - 56,500
35-42 days  7,650 - 229,000  
43-64 days  25,700 - 288,000  
57-78 days 13,300 - 253,000  
17-24 weeks  4,060 - 65,400  
25+ weeks  3,640 - 117,000  

I think yours show normal so you shouldn't be to worried!

Latest news: when I woke up yesterday (wednesday) I had one small drop of blood after I went to the toilet, had cramps like a period is about to arrive but not as painfull as normal and I have boobs that feel just weird. It was 9 dpo....so I think there is some chance that......

[jifnif]

az angie:  sorry for not doing the math but what does 28 dpo put you at week wise??  have you had an ultrasound??  my numbers are high (10k approx) and my sac measures 5wks 5 days.  I still won't know if I have a viable pregnancy until January 21st when i go for my 8 week appt but i am nervous now that i see your post.  

bgmn:  i think a positive is a positive.  i took a digital the first time i ever found out i was prego and it was neg...seconds later i took a cvs brand 5 days sooner and it was positive.  :)  congrats.  

[RunningL8]

I was worried I had high hcg with my first pregnancy based on something a nurse said, so I also read re. molar pregnancies.  As I recall, the numbers get extremely high with a molar pregnancy; I really think yours seem well within the range of normal.  And your progesterone is staying steady.  A good percentage (15%) of pregnancies don't follow the normal pattern of doubling every 24-36 hours, and besides, they always say that you need to see the hcg "at least" double during that time.  There is so much to worry about at each stage, but very little you can do to affect the outcome, so I hope you can enjoy the fact that you're pregnant.  (I remember saying to my RE, "I understand all of the risks.  Can you please, please say something positive?"  And he said, "You're pregnant!"  Which really is a huge plus over 43!)

We're back from our trip, and I think I'm at 15 dpo.  I couldn't stand not testing any longer, so late this afternoon I did an "Answer" pregnancy test, and I got a definite, very faint line within the time limit.  My husband thought the line should be darker, so he was skeptical, despite the fact that I kept telling him that a faint line within the time limit is indeed a positive.  So we decided to get some digital tests, and I did one two hours later, and it said "not pregnant."  I've been googling around, and I think this particular digital test might only show positive at 50 hcg, whereas the Answer test will pick up 25 hcg.  I really need to know if I'm pregnant because I'm doing the progesterone during the luteal phase and need to stop tomorrow if I'm not pregnant.  I'd been drinking a lot of fluid all day (including coffee, which was bad, but I didn't think I was pregnant), so that might have affected the test?  Any thoughts or encouragement are welcome!  I was under some pressure from my mother-in-law this trip (she thinks that of course a 46 year old woman can have a baby and is sure there is something wrong with my RE), so I came back kind of discouraged; she sees all of these really old women having twins in the news, and doesn't seem to understand the concept of donor eggs.  Anyway, I hope I'll have definite good news to report after I retest tomorrow!

[lawanb33]

Congrats on your pregnancy. Not sure if you remembered me but you was the first person who supported and give me encouragement when I wrote in this forum back in Sept. Sadly to said I loss the baby. I'm so happy to hear your wonderful news. Best wishes on your pregnancy. The numbers look really great. Always think positive.

[AZ Angie]

Thanks for the encouragement.  I guess I'm just a worry wart and can't believe that this will happen right....  I didn't know about the identical twin thing, but I knew that chances for 2 eggs were slightly higher .  I really worry about the fact that the HCG numbers are climbing much faster, with the doubling time starting at 24 hours, and going down to 35 hours.  That's much too fast.  I read that the twins doubling time is THE SAME as with a singleton, so that can't be it.  The HCG numbers are higher for Downs  babies, and for molar pregnancies.  I guess I need to just wait for the ultrasound.

Right now, my symptoms are getting stronger by the day.  My last hCG check was Friday, and the nausea, breast tenderness and fatiguea is much stronger, so I'm guessing that the HCG is much higher...
Angie

[Lastminutemama]

Hi Angie: numbers seem pretty normal. As far as I know, molar pregnancies are very rare! Do you know that the chance for multiples is much higher at our age? The is 2% more chance for a "double ovulation" that releases two eggs the same time and can result in fraternal twins and because of the eggs are a bit older, there is also more chance for an identical twin since eggs do divide easier. I also read the outcome of a Swedish investigation: women who took folic acid also have a bigger chance for multiples as well as women who used a lot of dairy product because dairy product can have a positive effect on ovulation. So guess who drinks half a gallon milk a day???

I am 45 next week ->? That makes you a capricorn lady and those rule!!!