Can hcg levels rise slowly, then double and still be a normal pregnancy?

[thunder214]

I found out I was pregnant and we were so excited; things seemed to be going so perfectly in our lives.  The initial bloodwork showed that my hcg levels were low and my doctor became concerned.  They were at 196 then 2 days later at 254, then 3 days later 500. At that point my OB was certain I was going to miscarry and suggested a D&C.  Before I would have it done, I requested one more blood test.  It doubled to 1000 (2 days after the 500 titer).  My doctor seemed dumbfounded.  I'm going crazy worrying about if I am  going to miscarry or not and if not, could there be something abnormal with our baby?  I have not had one other symptom indicating a possible miscarriage, in fact I feel as pregnant as a woman in her third trimester!  I believe I am about 5 weeks pregnant.  When I took the first blood test I was just exactly 4 weeeks pregnant, although it's possible I am off by 5 days (previous period was 33 days long as opposed to the normal 28 I am).  I'm still having more bloodwork done every 2 days and (haven't received the results) and schedule for an ultrasound in 1 1/2 weeks.

So..any suggestions?  ANYTHING good or bad would be extremly helpful.

[mlaport]

OK.... first of all DONT GET A D&C YET.  There is no reason to end this now, you have a great chance of this going just fine.  My levels were not even doing half of what yours are, and I miscarried.  But throughout the whole process my Doctor said as long as they double every 2 to 3 days you should be fine.  The fact that you went from 500 to 1000 is a really good sign.  I am also on another pregnancy board www.silentgrief.com, and there was a women there who was in the same situation as you - and they wanted her to get a D&C, but she requested a ultrasound first and they found a heartbeat.  So don't give up hope - it upsets me that they were just going to give you a D&C that easily...

Keep us posted on your levels, and keep your spirits up.

Lots of baby dust to you!!

Mary

[ildike]

From what I have learned from my former dr, I would say as long as hcg doubles constantly, everythings all right.  Plus, if you have symptoms, thats a good sign, too.  If there was something wrong with the baby you would miscarry-that is nature's selective way-since the fetus would be unable to develop. If at this age the fetus is growing, that means its healthy, capable to survive.  At this stage, its all or nothing...I am going through similar agonies, and what I am trying to do is to send very clear, optimistic,positive thoughts down there.  I wish you the same and make sure to rest a lot (both physically and mentally)

[mlaport]

Oh and another thing.  Every womens body is different.  You'll find that some women don't have ANY symptoms at all, or some that are puking everyday - and both will have a perfect baby.  You will also find some women who have really low HCG levels and some with really high HCG levels - and both of them will have perfect babies.  There is no "norm" in a situation like this...the only thing you have to be worried about is the doubling every 2 to 3 days...that's all.

[Geneva108]

Please refuse this DC now! wait for an u/s. I had HCG level problems before  they say if should double every 72h. or +66% every 48 h. it might vary.. I am now 9 weeks preg. after 2 tubals and miscar.  but this time (I had to do IVF w.egg donor) my first hcg on day 10 after embryos transfert was 111!doc. was happy very  high than 2 days later 174 than 2 days later 360 than 4 days later we got scared 520!! should have been 900 + but he asked me to go for another hcg test 2 days later 4324!!!!!! go figure therefore don't give up ok!!! no DC continue to test every 2 days or so and do an ultra sound in a week than you will know... it could be all good girl  hang in there   we are here for you too!
lots of baby dust to you
Take care
Geneva

[msklar]

Quite honestly, I am scared to hear about all the close calls with d&c. It seems some doctors are so worried about being correct (about due dates, ovulateion) that they dont listen to the women and look for things when it is too early for them to show up. Its scary the number of times Ive heard that a d&c was suggested, the women waited and guess what there was a healthy baby. Im beginning to think doctors are too quick to jump for a d&c. I think if it is goiing to misscarry then your own body should have the chance to do it naturally...

[Siren]

I'm going through something similar, where my doctor is stumped.  My levels are NOT doubling every two days, however they ARE increasing very, very slowly.  He thought I had a miscarriage, due to lots of bleeding and cramping, however the levels continue to rise.  At this point he thinks it's ectopic, so is considering laparoscopy to remove the embryo, but first he's doing a few more hormone tests.  It's good to have a doctor who is cautious before they get in there with sharp instruments!!!  But I'm a little worried about the procedure i.e. risks to future fertility b/c of the scarring, etc.  I know the risk is out there, and it's hard b/c this is our first pregnancy.  Anyway, I'd have to agree with everyone else who has said to wait until you have a few more levels done - it's obvious that individual cases can be very different and can stump even the best doctors!

[silo]

I agree with everyone as far as waiting a while before getting a d and c.  I had to have a d and c on April 24th, but it was only after a month of spotting and 4 sonograms that revealed an odd shaped placenta and no fetus...(Blighted Ovum)  I was 10 wks and miscarriage was very inevitable.  

It kinda helped me with my decision to have a d and c when I saw the lack of progress each week on the sono.  So until you see it with your own two eyes, I wouldn't do a thing.....just wait....I'll remember you in my prayers.

[thunder214]

Thanks everyone for you great comments and suggestions.  I should tell you what happened. This is going to really make you think.  Earlier when I posted, I did not tell the whole story, I thought it would be too long, but after seeing everyone's comments, I think we could all benefit from it.

I was scheduled for a D&C on Wed. June 25 at 2:00pm.  I had to be at the hospital by 12:00.  I requested 1 more bloodtest to ease my mind because in my heart, I didn't want to do it.  So I went at 10am and had more blood drawn.  The doctor requested it to be STAT so the results would come back quicker. Well, it ended up so close that I was laying on the hospital bed in the proverbial "paper gown", already admitted, balling my eyeballs out crying that I didn't want to be there and that it was wrong, when at 1:45 the nurse came in and that is when my numbers finally truely doubled from 500 to 1000.  I immediately got dressed and walked out of that hospital not sure what had just happened.  They say miracle happen everyday...I'm sure one did on that day.  Divine intervention I would call it.


Anyway, I get my results back today from my bloodtest I had yesterday.  I will keep you posted as to what the results are. I have a STRONG feeling that our baby is okay.  The fact that my pants had a hard time buttoning today was a pretty good indicator that he's/she's growing!

[meko80]

I took a pregnancy test on august 12 that was postive, went into the doctor the next day. she did a vaginal ultrasdound and said she did not see a fetus and should have hcg levels tested the first day they were @144 to 215 to 270 to 357 which at that time I had already been to thee emergency room two times in pain and had went from spotting earlier in the month for a week to red very apparent blood showing. The doctor said that with last numbers showing up at 357 that had not doubled and a viarable pregnancy was not forseen. She said would check hcg levels again, on monday because that day was a friday. I had them taken again on monday and she called and said she was in a limbo with me. my levels had risen to 750  and waht she said did not look like a good pregnancy was looking alot better for me. now I have to have them taken again in two days and if they have risen even higher she wants to see me for my first prenatl appt on august 31st. which at that time the fetus that is not appearing on the ultrasound should be viewable by then because she thinks i'm too early for it too show. so I don't even know how far along i am to date. I also have a history of showing the hcg level very early on a pregnancy test before it is even able to seem detectable. I am just so confused, tired. burntout from going back and fouth and having my blood taken every other day. My doctor was comcerned that I may be having a etopic, or misscarriage because of the pain and blood I was having now she sounds a bit confused herself, being a doctor and all. She suggested that I get a D&c on friday but I did not want to, or the lapostrphy. I was too afraid, and if I would have been I wouldn't have known there were hope of my levels goin up. what my real concern is has anyone ever had bleeding for 19 days like this and pain that is travling fron one side of my stomach to the other, and still believed to be having a succesful pregnancy and the levels went up, then down, then back up again? please give me some advice

[mommyjac]

My situation is similar.I had a positive hpt on Aug 16, 07 things were fine and started bleeding on 23.Saw my Dr. went for hcg levels and internal she was concerned about a miscarriage or ectopic (??) my Hcg was 70 very very low.repeated labs on sun 8/26 slowly rised all bleeding and cramping had stopped as of 8/29.  We cont.to repeat labs still slowly rising as of yesterday(9/4/07) 305.and spotting had started again with very painful cramps.Dr is sure i will miscarry  .bleeding has stopped over night still pain on right side.I'm going to suggest tio her this morning to do an u/s I did have one a week ago (6 wks)and it showed absouletly nothing.But levels are still slowly creeping. I too have mixed emotions and sort of have my hopes up. every time I get my labs done I fell that one of these days they will take off like a Bat out of Hell. This bugger doesn't want to let go.
This is my second m/c in 2 yrs I have one daughter that is going to be 9 in Feb is is dying for a sibling.I wish I could give her  her wish.     Good luck and keep me posted

[mba111]

I began my first round of IUI with injectables in March with postive pregancy test in April.  The pregnancy turned out to be a blighted ovum. With that pregnancy my numbers were: 14 dpo Hcg 68, 21 dpo hcg 585, 28 dpo hcg 3000.  At 28 dpo small empty sack was found on ultrasound.  At 35 dpo, empty sac seen again.  Dr. performed D and E.  Had another postive pregnancy test on 09/03/07.  At 17 dpo, hcg 59 (even lower than last time).  20 dpo hcg 149 and 22 dpo hcg 278.  This is low but doubling every 2.2 days.  Dr. says probably another "bad pregnancy".  Has anyone seen numbers like this turn into a healthy pregnancy?

[duehring]

Yes, I have. My sister's started out low like that. They weren't doubling correctly either. She ended up having a perfectly healthy baby. They had told her to prepare to miscarry since her numbers were so low and not going up right. Her numbers were lower than yours.

[kscatt13]

why are all of these doctors telling us how likely a miscarriage is? Are your stories the norm or the exception? I have to say they are all inspiring.. I have been trying for over a year and finally we got a positive test.  Our numbers were low but rising and 10/31 they were 779 and then today (23 dpo) they are only 1077.  My doctor is concerned about ectopic pregnancies (that was what he mentioned) and wants me to come in for an ultrasound -but not until Tuesday... I have no idea how I am going to last - i am a nervous wreck.. all the stories are very helpful and any other hints/thouhts is very appreciated.
Thank you very much and good luck to everyone!

[alwayscurious15]

let god make the decision dont let a doctor think u should abort your baby your doctor should be embarressed now....pray seriously pray

[screweyjen]

I'm really glad I found this board.  I suspect I may have an ectopic pregnancy, but I don't know.  My beta levels were doubling initially, but then they slowed down.  I was giving myself progesterone in oil injections daily and the doctor told me to stop because she thought that was all that was keeping me from bleeding.  She said I would probably miscarry within the next two days after stopping.  So far, it's been four days and still counting.  No bleeding, no cramping, no nothing.  I still have pregnancy symptoms too (sore breasts, darkening areolas, tiredness, etc).  The doctor said that if I didn't miscarry by Friday (in four more days) then I should call into the office and she'd prescribe some medication to make my body expell the fetus.  I'm also supposed to take a beta test on Friday to make sure the levels are decreasing.  I think they're being a little hasty.  I do believe my levels are still rising, just slowly.  Either way, I am fully prepared for the possibility of losing this one.  This will be my third miscarriage.  I do have one healthy two-year old daughter, but I'm still devastated.  So, my question is this:  should I insist on an ultrasound before taking any of the medication?  Or, should I rely solely on the beta test that I'm supposed to take Friday?  All I can say is that your posts certainly give me pause and a little bit of precious hope in a situation that looks otherwise bleak.

[2wonderfulboys]

The same thing happened to me, my levels weren't going up like the "doc" thought they should so she told me to quit taking the progesterone because it was keeping me from miscarrying. I went back to the doc because I hadn't started bleeding yet, they took another blood test and my levels had jumped up to 1592. They didn't know what to say to me,the u/s showed a sac with a yoke and I have to go in tomorrow for another u/s, i will be 6w3days.. I am so scared , it has been such a roller coaster this past week and a half. It bothers me how some docs are just ready to give up because of what the text book says. It's good that some of us have the faith to get through this.. I wish you all that faith, give it to God, that's what I did, let him take over for you, and PRAY!

[AndiJ78]

I was on here when this post was initially made. Michelle (thunder) and I ended up miscarrying at the same time, both with blighted ovums. The good news is that despite our pregnancies ending after much stress and lots of ups and downs, she went on to deliver a healthy baby nearly a year after this post was made, just weeks after i delivered Tristan.

Docs aren't normally wrong on this, but occasionally they are. Listen to them but at the same time follow your instincts. Oftentimes as D&C is warranted if your body doesn't follow through on its own. In very short order you will find out via ultrasound if the pregnancy is viable. From there work with your doctor on the best course of action.

[screweyjen]

No, I agree that the docs aren't normally wrong.  The only problem I see is in the pressure that tends to be applied to women in this predicament.  I'm still waiting.  I went in for an ultrasound a few days ago and the doctor said it looked much better than she thought.  There was a perfectly round little sac in the fundus of the uterus, just where it should be.  It only measured 6 weeks, but she said that because my periods are always all over the place I may have ovulated later.  This would mean that the fetus is younger than I thought - which could be why there's only a sac to be seen.  Sooooo, I go back in another couple of weeks to see if there are any new developments.  My doctor is patient and she recommended I wait it out.  She said she didn't want to give me false hope, but there is a possiblity.  If she only had the beta numbers to go by, she would have told me the pregnancy was a no go.  But, after seeing the ultrasound, she says to wait.  I'm hoping that the next time I go in there's a fetal pole.....we'll see and I'll let you know.

[Brandy702]

i see there are a few other woman in similar circumstances as mine...
found out i was pregnant last saturday and by tuesday i started spotting, headed for the E.R. because i am RH negative to recieve my rhogam shot and they preached miscarriage the whole time...all i came there for was my shot -lol

Thursday i started having cramps and red blood instead of brown, friday morning i awoke from sleep with terrible cramps only to find i was bleeding heavily =( passed a few blood clots and was sure i miscarried..called my OB/GYN he had me see a high risk DR. within a few hours where he didn't perform an exam, but from the ultrasound he said he could not find a gestational sac nor embryo and nothing in my tubes that my uterus was filled with blood that he gave me a %5 chance of a viable pregnancy...and it didn't look good, he sent me for a HCG blood draw that very day i think i miscarried he said it wouldn't matter that my levels should dramatically drop...today i got my results which from Thursday was 407 and Friday went to 530......now they haven't doubled they went up, and i supposedly miscarried!?

i know it's a concern with the levels not doubling i do know that alot of woman go on to deliver healthy babies!

I am on an emotional roller coaster ride was wondering if anyone had a very simalar situation or know of someone who has....and what of their out come?

I am trying to stay hopeful and at the same time am trying to keep a guard up and really really except i had a miscarriage.

bu thtose darn HCG levels are driving me nuts!!!!!

ANYONE????????

[emeli]

My HCG levels are driving me crazy as well.  I had one m/c and now am pregnant again.  My HCG levels are CREEPING upwards-  not at all doubling.  My OB was SURE that I would be miscarrying and I went for a sonogram and there was a 6 week image with a very strong heart beat!!  My OB still thinks that it is a doomed pregnancy.  Does anyone know if very very slow rising HCG levels can still end up with positive results (a healthy baby?)

[kjbutcher]

I had slow rising HCG and have a perfectly normal, healthy, 3 month old baby boy.  If it is going up DO NOT GET A D&C!  There is a good chance everything will be fine.  My doc also prepared me for a m/c and was shocked when we saw a heartbeat.  It does happen! Good Luck!

[ntaylor]

Mine started high and good, but slowed down and weren't doubling even in 72 hours, yet I am still pregnant with twins none the less at 15 wks. I thought it was over, but it wasn't.

[catgirl77]

As of Monday Jan. 28, 2008 my levels were 252.  I've had some red bleeding that always tapers off after turning brown.  They checked my levels today Jan. 30th and I was at a 547.  I've had some more bleeding today so, I'll have to call the nurse when there offices open tomorrow.  I'm nervous about what this bleeding could lead to.  Hopefully, everything will be alright...

[CrochetMom]

I went through IVF and 11 past that process (2/16/08), the HCG was 20.  Each time, the progesterone has been high (I'm on progesterone in oil).  Here is what the HCG levels were on other days:
02/18/08 - 50
02/21/08 - 232
02/25/08 - 532

I'm scheduled to go for more bloodwork on 02/28/08.  They don't seem optimistic about the numbers but the fact that they are rising to me is very positive.  My husband tells me the doctors don't know everything and it's all about numbers to them.  We went through IVF with child #2 and one of the two 4 celled embryos was him.  At that time, I don't think they even thought I would get pregnant let alone go to full term.  Again, I'm hoping we beat the odds :-)